Team Tobi
by Morta's Priest
Summary: Uchiha Obito got a second lease on life in the Third Shinobi World War, and the world was never quite the same. Now, many years later, he's ready for what could be his most difficult assignment yet: To be a sensei to three brats that just graduated from the Academy. Among them is Namikaze Naruto, Hokage's son!
1. Divergence

**Chapter 1 - Divergent**

"We can't stay here! Hurry, grab on!" Rin exclaimed, shaking her head. She glanced up at the trees worriedly. "Kakashi..."

"I can take them. Right here." Lightning crackled around the boy's hand with the sound of a thousand birds. "Come out, Rock coward."

"That's the jutsu you completed..." Rin said hesitantly. "Be careful..."

"Hoho, so you're still showing the will to fight in this situation..." The tall Rock ninja appeared from cover, his hands raised, ready to attack. "You've got a strong will – but you will not survive."

"You should not have come out to challenge me at all," Kakashi said in response, raising his _Chidori_. "Say your last words."

"As if _that_ attack would ever hit –"

Kakashi nodded in satisfaction as the Rock ninja suddenly froze, his breath caught in his throat. Very slowly he toppled forwards, his eyes wide in disbelief. A kunai was lodged solidly in the back of his neck.

The boy standing behind the fallen ninja still had his hand outstretched, and stuck out his tongue to Kakashi as he relaxed. The Sharingan blazed in both his eyes. "Well, how was _that, _Kakashi? Assassination, Uchiha style!" He smiled as he stepped forward, almost tripping over the body. "Whoa!"

Kakashi rubbed his single eye. "...Obito."

"And don't you forget it!" Obito exclaimed. "Do you remember my promise, Kakashi? I am Uchiha Obito of the Uchiha clan! I will surpass you!" He tapped the side of his head. "And I have awakened the Sharingan now..."

"You're still an idiot."

Obito pointed at his teammate, enraged. "You're going down, Kakashi! Just you watch!"

* * *

The old man sat in darkness, staring darkly at the ceiling as the ages seemed to pass him by unnoticed. He should have been dead, a long time dead. Here he was, instead, living like a parasite on borrowed years.

He gazed at his wrinkled hand, thinking back to a time when he was strong, capable. He would need that body again, to make change. If he stayed here, he would simply remain a relic, a slowly decaying part of history.

He raised his hand carefully, attracting the attention of his creations. They were crude and imperfect, but that was irrelevant. They could move outside.

"Bring me Nagato."

* * *

Some things never change. They are as immutable as the sun or the stars, constants. Others – are less settled. They might upset the balance, and change things dramatically. Sometimes even a pebble in a pond can have large repercussions, and it was often hard to tell what those pebbles were.

"Danzō-sama!"

Shimura Danzō glanced at the door with a frown, stretching his limbs that protested the movement. He was getting old – he had long admitted it to himself, though he rather disliked the idea. "There is such a thing as knocking."

"I did knock."

Danzo rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I apologize, then. I must have been dozing off." He rubbed his eyes tiredly, wondering idly whether or not the fact that he had been less than needed of late was the reason he was so careless. Even for him, years of prosperity had eroded away some of his passion for the job, indulging himself in enjoying the stability while it lasted. "So, what is it?"

The boy in the door smiled thinly. "The Sandaime is here to see you, as per your appointment."

Danzō nodded then. "Right, right. Send him in." He waved the pale boy away. "Off with you."

"Yes, sir."

Things had changed a lot since he was younger, he had to admit. War had been on everyone's mind, and Konoha was always under threat; Root had been his ruthless tool for ending those threats, his covert army to end enemies before they ever became a threat to the village itself. Even if relationships with foreign states remained tense, Konoha was well-known to be the strongest village, with the most powerful Kage. The roots had retracted, he supposed, until such a time when the flourishing tree was once again in danger.

The Sandaime walked in with his cane, smiling congenially. "Hello. My – you're beginning to look old!"

"Not like you, Hiruzen," Danzō said as he snorted. "At least, I hope not. I intend to keep my hair for a while yet."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, gingerly checking to see if he had suddenly been shaved. "Are you calling me bald?"

Danzō looked on as the other man settled into a chair with a contented sigh. He picked up his glass and took a careful sip. "What are you doing here, old man Sandaime?"

"I had hoped for a nice game of shōgi," Hiruzen admitted, shrugging. "I have found myself without someone to play against, of late. With my duties so lightened, boredom does begin to creep up on me."

"Isn't the brat keeping you busy?"

"Not really," Hiruzen responded with a grin. "It's obvious why that is, I'd think. We're at peace; things run themselves for the most part. He's got plenty of advisors around, so he doesn't need to call up his predecessor all the time."

Danzō frowned. "This might just lead to complacency."

"Perhaps," Hiruzen agreed as he set up the board that was stored next to the seat – this wasn't the first time that he had come by for a game. "Perhaps you're right, but we cannot always keep our guard high," he added. "Things will work out, and you know it. The next generation is taking over from us old fogeys, and they're doing fine."

"Would you say the same if you were still wearing the hat?" Danzō wondered idly.

Hiruzen smiled. "I don't know, but Minato wears it better than I ever did."

* * *

"I'm _definitely_ going to pass!" Naruto exclaimed. "Honestly, after the amount of work I've had to do for mom, I should be ashamed if I can't pull off a few simple jutsu." He scratched the back of his head as he glanced at Chōji. "How about you?"

"My _Kawarimi_ is a bit shaky," the robust teen admitted nervously. "I've been trying to get better at it, but I have a lot more mass to exchange than most of the rest of you, so I need to use more chakra. I suppose it'll get better the more I practice, though. Dad's helping me to perfect it when he's free."

"Ino?"

"I'm fine with all of them," she said easily. "I've had these particular skills perfected for _ages,_ you know. Training my family's special techniques is much more important for me, now." She glanced at Shikamaru across the room. "Unlike some people, I actually care about that."

"Not this again," Naruto muttered. "Not everyone's just as fast with training their techniques, you know. Mom's been trying to teach me some stuff for ages, but I'm not too great at some of these techniques." He shrugged. "Well, at least I can kick ass."

Chōji rolled his eyes. "Shino's with his parents, where are all the others?"

"Probably late," Naruto said lightly. "What I'm wondering is, where's the stuck-up freak?"

"Sasuke's already passed," Chōji responded morosely, shaking his head. "I don't get it – why would the police force get special permission to pass someone to Genin rank, outside the academy tests? Isn't that cheating?"

"Not really," Ino said, frowning. "They test for different things. I mean – they have that dōjutsu, right? And I'm sure there are the fire techniques too. I'm pretty sure you need both before you are allowed to graduate. The Uchiha clan is elite like that - even their kids are held to a higher standard."

"He'll still be on one of our teams, probably," Naruto observed. "I hope it's not mine. Can you imagine?"

"Yeah, can you imagine being in one team with someone from an incredibly famous family with special techniques?" Ino said, smiling. "It'd be horrible!"

"That's different," Naruto responded with a scowl. "Mom and Dad never make a big deal out of that, and neither do I!"

The girl raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Really? So you don't get private lessons?"

Naruto became flustered at that. "So do you! Chōji too, for that matter, and Shikamaru if he can be bothered to actually attend them!"

"I heard that," Shikamaru said from across the room, barely audible. "You're an ass, Namikaze."

Naruto plucked at his orange vest with the symbol of Uzushiogakure on it. His mom had made it, and he had actually gotten rather fond of it. She regularly joked about him inheriting the yellow from his father and the red from her, so they blended together in him. She called him an Uzumaki as well as a Namikaze, and he was never sure which one to go with.

It was tough, being the Hokage's kid. Though he certainly wasn't a slouch – like some people – he had a lot to live up to in any case. Not just his father's side, since the Yellow Flash of Konoha was famous across all the nations, but also his mom, who was probably the last of the Uzumaki clan. She was also famous for other reasons, though those weren't spoken about in public.

"So, who will be our sensei, you think?" Naruto said at last, frowning. "Who's getting the job this year?"

"I hope Yūhi Kurenai," Ino said immediately, winking. "She knows a lot about Genjutsu, you know. I could probably get really good with my techniques if I learn that."

"Genjutsu." Naruto scowled. "Those are _hard. _I'd rather have someone who kicks ass with Ninjutsu."

"Hatake, maybe?" Shikamaru said as he approached, dropping lazily into a seat next to Chōji. "He's supposed to be a really strict guy, though. He's been in ANBU for ages, so I guess that's not a surprise, though. I suppose we'll have another Ino-Shika-Chō trio, so that's probably settled…"

"Isn't there a Sarutobi sensei, this year?" Chōji asked. "He's family of the Third Hokage, right? That would be interesting…"

"Maito Gai already has a team, I believe," Naruto mused. "Well, there's Tobi, of course."

Chōji blinked. "Tobi?"

Naruto smirked, glancing over to Ino. "Right – I'm at the tower a lot more than you guys, so you probably don't see him much. Tobi's my own nickname for Uchiha Obito, my dad's old student."

Chōji gasped in recognition. "He's going to be a sensei?Why? My dad thinks he'll be the next Hokage!"

Naruto scowled. "Of course not, that'll be me! Dad's not going anywhere for a long time, anyway." At the looks he received, he rolled his eyes. "Fine, yes, it's probably true. Tobi's around all the time and he gets lots of dangerous missions. Once he went out with dad _and_ Shisui of the Body Flicker, and he was the only one to return unhurt!"

"I want him as my sensei," Chōji declared. "He sounds awesome!"

Naruto frowned. "Sasuke will probably be on his team, now that I think about it. Sharingan, you know? There's only one Uchiha student, and I bet he goes to the only Uchiha teacher."

"Ugh." The rotund boy got up, stretching. "Never mind, then."

Unfortunately, Naruto already knew what his team would be, given that his dad couldn't stop informing him about the details with a certain amount of glee, aware of how much his son loathed Sasuke. He seemed to find it amusing, sharing it as some private joke with Tobi.

The first on his team would be Uchiha Sasuke, whose parents were killed by his brother a few years before. The other member would probably be whoever passed with the lowest score, to balance things out a little. Possibly it would be Shikamaru, since there were more male graduates than usual, but he figured that his dad had long seen through the lazy guy's test scores. He would get stuck with Hyūga Hinata, Sakura, or even Shino, who had been far too busy with his family jutsu to pay much attention during the school year. Honestly, he wasn't half as bothered by any of those possibilities than the fact that he would have to be decent to the bastard Uchiha.

"So, since you know him so well, what's this Tobi-sensei like?"

"He's a pain in the –"

* * *

"-ass!" Obito exclaimed, fuming. "Honestly, he's been avoiding me all _week_. Can you believe that?" He paced through the room, eyes flashing. "Here we are, both sensei, and now he chooses to stop talking to me?"

"Obito…" The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Kakashi is free to go where he pleases while he's not on duty. He's just come off four years of ANBU service; I think he's entitled to a little freedom."

"Oh, that's just an excuse, and you know it." He glared at the Hokage, his Sharingan active. "Ever since _that_ incident, he's been nothing but trouble. Honestly, how can you tolerate it? He's one of the strongest shinobi in the entire village, and yet he can just go and do anything without repercussions?"

"I let you do the same thing," Minato replied simply, raising an eyebrow. "Kushina has told me plenty of times that I shouldn't be sending you out on A-rank missions by yourself, you know. Yet, I indulge your requests. Is it so strange that I do so for others? You know Kakashi is more than capable."

"Yes, but…" Obito paused. "It's _Kakashi_."

Minato smiled. "Kakashi will be in town for a while now, you know. Assuming his Genin team passes its test, he'll train them up to be just like him, I'm sure. You'll have plenty of time to speak to him and to try and prevent him from corrupting his students."

"They'll be little masked barbarians," Obito agreed darkly, shaking his head. "I really don't like masks," he added with a sigh. "I could never be in ANBU like Kakashi. Anyway, what's that going to change? You know he'll still give me the cold shoulder, like he's been doing since forever. It's even worse now that I actually see him with any regularity."

"It's his right to ignore you," Minato said lightly. "You know that it's far better than your relationship before, right? I remember that rivalry all too well." He ran a hand through his hair. "_Far_ too well. Honestly, you wrecked seventeen houses in that last all-out fight."

Obito rolled his eyes. "Really?"

"I counted."

"…Fine, then. I still think you should talk to him about this."

"Why not go directly to him?" Minato blinked lazily. "He's still a loyal shinobi, you know. He wouldn't kill you. If you visited him when he was off duty, I'm sure he would listen to you."

Obito shuddered. "And get _that_ expression aimed at me again? I'd rather not."

Minato leaned over his desk, sighing deeply. "Is that still haunting you, then? All those years have passed and still Rin…"

"Don't mention that," Obito snapped. "That is private."

"She was my student, Obito."

"Yes, but you weren't there when…" The Uchiha sighed tiredly as he stopped himself. "Never mind. I'm probably just nervous over this change in my routine. Teaching – can you imagine it? I can't figure out how you managed to seem so calm, back then."

"The key word is 'seemed', Obito." Minato said easily. "Just treat them like any other co-workers, if ones you need to help get to your level. You'll have Naruto in your team; he'll listen well enough to you. He probably wouldn't admit it, but I think he's fond of you, in his own way."

"He's a stubborn brat."

"That he is," Minato agreed. "Not too different from me at that age, though he got that temperament from Kushina, I think. Still – I think he'll work well with you. Then there's Sasuke; well, you know your little clan mate better than I do."

"He's a little Kakashi," Obito muttered. "As flexible as a log, short-tempered, and way too focused on one thing."

Minato leaned back in his chair again. "Itachi."

Obito nodded. "Almost killed by his own brother, and both his parents dead at the traitor's hands. I can understand his rage, but he hasn't channelled it in a productive way. He has plenty of family left, including _me_, but all he seems to care about is to track down Itachi and kill him. Though as you know, he never says it like that."

"Yes, he seems convinced it was someone else." Minato observed. "Did you ever find out why?"

Obito shrugged helplessly. "Seven ANBU and lots of citizens saw him when he escaped, before people knew what had happened. There was even a Hyūga among them, and even he said the same thing. It was Itachi. Sasuke was clearly under a genjutsu of some kind. I have my suspicions, but without finding him again..."

Minato nodded in understanding, steepling his fingers as he frowned. "I hope that you will be able to break him out of this cycle. Like it or not, you helped Kakashi do much the same thing."

"If there was anyone that helped him out of his idiocy, it wasn't me," Obito said at last as he turned for the door. "I will hear the third as soon as you have decided?"

"Of course. Obito-"

"There is still some time left before the exams," Obito said simply. "If you wish to be at your son's graduation, I suggest that you hurry." He vanished with the next step.

Minato looked into the empty hall contemplatively. "S-class shinobi or not, you're still going to be late yourself, aren't you?" He shook his head as he glanced at the Hokage Monument, each of the four faces gleaming in the sun. "I hope you survive my son."

* * *

"You're here already, Ami?" Naruto wondered as he dropped down into his usual seat. "Earlier than usual…"

"Yeah, whatever." She shrugged, standing up. "I'll go sit somewhere else, then." She quickly walked off, and Naruto glanced between her and the five or six other students that had already gathered in the classroom just as a few more trickled in. Ami was an odd one – always picking fights with Sakura or Ino, and extreme disrespectful of almost everyone.

"I suppose you passed," Naruto muttered to himself as he glanced at the other arrivals – Shino, Chōji, Shikamaru, Ino, Kiba… "Oy, dog breath, how did you do?"

"Fine," Kiba replied, glancing behind himself. "Haven't seen anyone that failed from our group, actually."

Naruto nodded as Sakura walked in, quickly slipping into her seat as well; Sasuke was close behind her, and Sakura had probably waited for him to arrive. The Uchiha glanced over the class with derision; he had already been a graduate for a day, so he had come explicitly for the teams, then.

Hinata was among the last to enter, her eyes sliding across the people present as she nodded confidently. "Seems like that's everyone, Daikoku sensei."

Daikoku Funeno nodded with a smile, making his way to the front of the class. "Well, since we're all present and accounted for, this can be pretty quick. This year we have an unusual number of children from clans, so team formation was quite a chore, let me tell you."

"As if you did any work," Naruto muttered as he glanced to Chōji who had plopped down next to him. "Honestly, dad's been checking over the plans for a week."

"I believe you," Ino chimed in from his other side. "Dad says that Daikoku-sensei always was likely to be lazy, that's why he's not a Jōnin…"

"Wish Iruka-sensei had stayed," Naruto agreed. "I liked him. Then he had to get promoted…"

"… Team 7, then." Daikoku said, glancing towards Naruto. "This team will consist of Namikaze Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke-" Naruto groaned audibly. "- and filling out that team is Hyūga Hinata."

"Oh hell," Naruto said, sighing. "This is going to be _torture._"

Ino snickered at his misfortune. "Well – I supposed you should feel glad. Imagine if it'd been _her._" She glanced at Sakura with a frosty look. "At least the Hyūga isn't useless."

Daikoku frowned. "Wait, is this right? Your sensei is … Uchiha Obito?"

Naruto cheered suddenly, and smiled widely. "The universe has pity on me!"

"Great, now I'm jealous again," Chōji muttered.

"Team 8 will consist of Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, and Inuzuka Kiba. Your team leader will be… Yūhi Kurenai."

"Well, that leaves Ino-Shika-Chō under the Sarutobi, I guess," Ino lamented. "It could be worse."

Naruto blinked. "Wait, what about Hatake?"

"They were one of the first teams mentioned; you must've missed that," Chōji said, sneaking a few crisps from some forgotten pouch. "It's Ami and the two freaky kids."

Naruto nodded, glancing to Sasuke and Hinata, his new team, as the predictable last team was announced. Having Tobi as his teacher would be great; he was an actual expert in Space-Time Ninjutsu, maybe even more so than his father, and that was saying a lot. Naruto could barely wait to get started, since Obito would know _exactly_ what he would need to work on. He would need to remember to drop by the Hokage office later to thank his father.

At Naruto's curious look his way, Sasuke just glared back, his eyes red with the Sharingan. Sasuke loved showing it off, ever since he had first activated it the year before. Almost nobody really knew how those dōjutsu were activated – the Uchiha clan was pretty secretive – but Obito had seemed to disapprove of the method used, so Naruto was pretty safe in suspecting it was cruel. The Uchiha clan was a powerful force in the village, and technically Sasuke was supposed to be its head, with his father dead, and his brother a traitor. His cousin, Uchiha Shisui, would hold the position until his cousin reached maturity or a high rank.

Hinata was perhaps even stranger than him, Naruto thought. As heir to the prestigious Hyūga clan, she was taught primarily within the compound, and frequently it seemed like she didn't care about anything else but working for her clan, particularly when Hyūga and Uchiha clashed, a frequent occurrence. She had a close relationship with another member of her clan that had graduated the year before, Neji, though Naruto had no idea whether she would open up to others too, or just family. Whenever she looked at him with those milk-white Byakugan eyes, Naruto felt like he was being judged silently, and he turned away.

"Have you ever even spoken to her?" Ino asked as she noticed Naruto's look. "She doesn't bite, you know."

"Once," Naruto said, scowling. "Wanted to tell her I was glad that she was alright after that Hyūga compound thing happened."

"The kidnapping," Ino realized. "You knew from your dad, right?"

"Yeah. She punched me when I mentioned it," Naruto muttered, rubbing his wrist. "Couldn't use my hand for a whole day… Honestly, I gave up after that. If she can just assume I had something to do with a potential kidnapping because I mentioned it, she's clearly not in her right mind."

"She was very stressed," Ino defended Hinata. "She didn't remember, that's all."

"At least she was grilled over it," Naruto said with a smile. "Remember her father, storming in here? I've never seen someone so angry…"

A man stepped into the room, drawing all attention. A tall man with a puff of white hair and a dark eyepatch over a masked face, Hatake Kakashi looked the part of a Jonin. "I am here for Team 3."

"That's us!" Ami exclaimed, and she and two boys quickly walked over to the man; Naruto didn't even know their names, and he felt momentarily ashamed about that. Kakashi glanced over the room one more time, and then left with his team without another word.

Both Asuma and Kurenai, sensei for Team 8 and 10 arrived next, taking the rest of the people that Naruto cared about, which only left the three of them in a quickly emptying classroom. Naruto sighed and juggled with a shuriken, effortlessly flipping it into the air and catching it easily until he didn't even need to think about it anymore. Somewhere along the way Daikoku had left them alone.

Nobody talked. Naruto had expected as much; Sasuke wouldn't start a conversation, and Hinata probably didn't care about either of them in the least.

Finally, after almost ninety minutes, the door opened again.

"Tobi! You're late again," Naruto said lazily as he stuffed his four shuriken away – he had made his little game a little more difficult as he waited.

"I came here via a pocket dimension where time flows differently," Obito said with a slight smile. "Seriously."

Naruto just stared at him. "So, what did dad bribe you with to put me on your team?"

Obito chuckled nervously, glancing at Sasuke and Hinata. Both gave him icy looks, though Naruto wasn't fooled. Uchiha Obito was a living legend – one of the strongest members of the Uchiha clan, in fact; they would be fools to dismiss him. Obito dropped onto a chair himself with a sigh. "Must you use that nickname, Naruto?"

"Yes."

"Well, as long as you're sure about that. Sasuke, Hinata, please join us at the front."

With some grumbling the two clan members made their way to the front as Obito nodded cheerily. "Right, right. There we go. I am Uchiha Obito, as you have already heard. I'm new to being a sensei, so forgive me if I screw up…"

"Which you will," Naruto added.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, brat. Anyway, I want to start with a test for you tomorrow morning so I'd suggest that you all get a good night's sleep."

"The bell test, then?" Naruto inquired. "Uncle Jiraiya told me about that…"

"Maybe not, then," Obito said, tapping Naruto on the head. "Don't eat too much, and take your weapons with you. I want to see what you can already do, since I know you're all a little more advanced than the Academy."

"Yes, sensei," Hinata said simply, and Sasuke nodded.

"Right – I expect you all to excel. If you don't – well, there's always next year." He smiled deviously. "Don't think your presence here is certain, you know. Kakashi tested his new team right after he left here. I hear he's already failed them."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Don't be cocky, and remember the essentials of a ninja," Obito said as he smiled. "Jiraiya might've told you a few things, but I'm sure he's left enough for you to puzzle out for yourself."

"Just you wait, Tobi-sensei!" Naruto declared. "I'll beat you into the ground!"

"Maybe." He winked, waving. "Well, I have an appointment at the hospital that I shouldn't miss. Be punctual, alright? Even if I might get distracted helping out some old ladies along the way." He stuck out his tongue as, within an instant, his body vanished as if into a maelstrom; he was gone.

"Hn," Sasuke vocalized, apparently surprised. "…Mangekyō?"

Naruto tried to ignore the headache that he knew would soon come; this was going to be a pain, he knew it. Tobi would make things way more difficult than they should be.

* * *

"Obito-sama!"

"It started a few hours ago," Obito said, rubbing his eyes. "I figured it would be fine. Get the machine and the donor, alright? I'm sure he's not too busy."

"Nonō isn't available right now," the medic said carefully, frowning.

"Oh, that's fine, someone else can do it." Obito said lightly. "I'm sure that there are enough of you who know how to use her technique by now, given how often you have been observing."

The medic nodded, frowning. She looked quickly into Obito's eyes, and scowled. "You shouldn't use those techniques so much. If you moderated yourself, you'd only be here once in a few months," she said irately as she activated a warning seal on her belt; it was specifically designed to call a certain ninja, wherever he might be at the time. "Twice in two weeks, is it?"

"I finished an A-rank only a few days ago," Obito explained. "It took a little more force than I'd anticipated. Honestly, I'm fine. You know that I could walk with this kind of strain for days without any permanent damage."

"Doesn't mean you should."

"You medics are always so serious," Obito complained. "Shisui barely leaves the village now that he's clan head, so it's no wonder that he doesn't abuse those eyes of his so much. The moment that Yakushi-san finds some more permanent solution, I'm going for it. These eyes are my ticket to awesome, you know."

"Yes, Uchiha-san, I know." The medic shook her head. "You're almost as bad as the Hyūga about those things. Except _they _come for every single little thing, instead of waiting till they almost lose their eyes from incremental damage. Honestly, you clan types are all insane."

"You're pretty candid for a Chūnin," Obito said, smirking.

"When you're Hokage you can boss me around," she said sharply. "Until then, this is the hospital, and there the medic rules supreme. Go get on the bed."

Obito flipped onto the stretcher without a word. His eyes were only aching dully, a vaguely uneasy sensation – as if he had been reading too long, or glared into the sun. He knew what the reason was, though, and what it meant. It was a portent to nasty things – severe pain, the disintegration of his power, the loss of his sight. Yakushi Nonō's treatment for the dangerous side-effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan were a life-saver, almost literally, even if the secret of the dōjutsu had been revealed to the Hokage as a consequence.

Most of the Uchiha clan despised him for various reasons, Obit was well aware. Firstly, because he had been a failure until he got his second wind with the discovery of his talent with the Sharingan. Secondly, because he had effectively demystified one of the biggest secrets of the clan. Thirdly, because he honestly didn't like most of his family much, preferring to stay closer to his other friends and the village. The fact that he could get along with the current clan head was a small blessing, at least.

Despite all of that, the clan couldn't dismiss him outright, or disown him as they had threatened in the past. He was the most powerful Uchiha alive, even including Shisui, and he was very close to the Hokage. He was their best ticket to having actual input in the way the village was run, and the only one who could reasonably become Hokage in the future.

"Obito-san. I didn't think I'd see you again so quickly."

"Stressful week?" Obito tried as he turned to the door, smiling in recognition and giving a friendly nod. "I'm sorry if I pulled you from your work."

"Oh, no, that's fine." Yamato walked in, already rolling up his sleeve. "I am glad to be of service, of course. I consider it a blessing of my particular condition, that the horrors that caused it can be used to help others. Mokuton is remarkably versatile like that."

Obito nodded as he removed his vest. "I still thank you for your charity."

"Oh, it's not charity," Yamato replied immediately, giving a creepy stare that Obito knew all too well. "Keep the village safe, and I'll keep helping you. Call it insurance."

* * *

**Author's Note:** An offshoot from a plotbunny, this is an AU based off of the recent manga chapters. Hope you like it. :)


	2. Changes

**Chapter 2 - Changed**

His eyes widened dramatically as he realized what he was looking at. There, splayed out on a table that was spattered with blood, was his old teammate. He was alive, breathing, but there was something horribly _off _about him. Tied down as he was it was hard to tell exactly what was going on, but it looked like a deformed face was stretched across his chest, and thin lines of blood dripped down from it and onto the floor.

"I'm gonna get you out of there," Ganryū promised as he backed away from the little gap in the wall, which was heavily fortified: He'd need to find another entrance than this one.

The halls were confusing and twisted in many directions, and Ganryū had trouble remembering exactly which paths he'd already taken, and which were new. He had his sword out and ready, though he was under no illusion that he could use it against half the chakra monsters that inhabited this place.

Blood seeped through the cloth he'd tied around his left leg; a little souvenir of his last run-in with a shinobi here, one who had been so quick that his defeat was mostly down to luck; Ganryū had managed to get his sword lined up neatly with the attacker's esophagus, and it had been too late to veer off. Even for a Jōnin like him, these people were unusually strong.

Three turns left, two right, seven left. He repeated his path to himself over and over, hoping he could loop around and get to the lower chamber, to free his teammate. Perhaps he could still return home, to Kiri, with two thirds of his new team intact. Unbidden he remembered Yosuga Pass, remembered the Iwa savages betraying his team and slaying Junsai and Suiren in cold blood. He couldn't let that happen _again. _No, he would stop this.

Akemi had fallen hours earlier to another Iwa bastard that didn't want to die, even when stabbed more times than Ganryū could count. He'd left the man alive in the end despite his attempts to take him down, pinned to the floor. He'd fled the horror of that chamber after he had seen Akemi's blue lips. The two of them should never have come after their lost teammate; should never have crossed the border at all.

Black eyes, that's all he saw now when he tried to remember it. Black, soulless eyes.

"Keep it together," he muttered to himself, trying not to shiver. "Come on..."

The impact was so sudden that Ganryū didn't quite know what had happened even as he slammed headfirst into the wall, intense pain radiating down his spine as he slid to the ground; a few ribs hurt incredibly, and it took a moment to take in a deep, shuddering breath.

"Looks like we got ourselves a volunteer," the attacker said, smiling darkly.

Ganryū's blade flashed out as he flipped back to his feet, though the attack was effortlessly stopped. The hand that stopped it was odd. It was covered in strange black markings of some sort. His gaze went to his opponent's face, and he gasped. A blood-red eye gazed at him, three little comma marks slowly swirling around. The _Sharingan._

"Uchiha? You're from _Konoha_?" Ganryū exclaimed, ripping his blade free. "We're _allies_!"

The man with grey hair chuckled lightly. He ran a hand through his hair, exposing dark markings on his forehead, as well as his other eye. A normal, black eye. "Not quite, little birdie."

"A transplant?" Ganryū backed away, shocked. "Impossible!"

"Well..." the man said, drawing out the word. "Nothing is impossible to us. Now... shall I bring you to your teammate? He is so eager to see you, he could almost scream..." He suddenly snapped forward, grabbing Ganryū by the throat before he could swing his blade, tossing him back into the wall. "I believe my master will be interested in another test subject, you know..."

"Never!" Ganryū exclaimed, heaving a deep breath before he swung with all his might.

A scream rent the air.

* * *

Obito's kunai landed neatly into the middle of the bull's-eye. It was quickly followed by two more, lodging themselves neatly besides the first. He quickly retrieved them after that, trying again from a few feet further back.

Training his combat skills had taken a backseat to a lot of missions and administrative work of late, and those rare occasions when he had enough time to work on his physical skills were so far apart that usually it wasn't worth the trouble. That's why he had requested to have some time free from the usual mission load. He hadn't anticipated that this sensei had been waiting for that request, and already had a plan for him. He was a teacher to three fresh Genin now; three high-profile ones to boot, that would need more care out in the field, as each of them had quite a few people after their necks.

Naruto, as the son of the Hokage, was most obviously at risk. Though Iwa had been wary of approaching Konoha for a long time now, they might get greedy when they realize that family of the Yellow Flash moved freely outside the village. Sasuke was at risk from both his brother, who might come to finish the job he started, and from any village that desired the Sharingan; already several Uchiha had been murdered over the years just to steal their eyes. Hinata, at last, was a Hyūga from the main branch; if not for her Byakugan, there were at least several Kumo shinobi that still held a grudge against her family, ever since the failed kidnapping some years earlier.

Putting these three together had been opposed by the Council, though the Hokage had been quite clear as to his reasoning. Aside from the enhanced protection of three powerful Genin on one team, each of them specializing in their own field of shinobi arts, they were also provided with one of the strongest shinobi in the Konoha armed forces. Obito didn't like to talk about it much, but between his extensive collection of jutsus, most of them gained in combat, and the mastery of his Mangekyō Sharingan, he was a top-class ninja. The Hokage could beat him, true, and perhaps Kakashi could too, on a good day. The reason they could was easy: They knew his techniques, they knew how he pulled off his attacks. It would not be long now, he suspected, before the bingo-books of other nations would list him with a Flee-on-Sight order like his sensei.

Sasuke and Hinata had their dōjutsu; Naruto had the huge chakra potential of his mother, and quite a bit of talent for fairly complex Ninjutsu. With one Taijutsu and Ninjutsu fighter, one specializing in tracking and the Jūken fighting style, and one brawler with a knack for odd techniques, the team would doubtlessly be ready for the Chūnin Exams that were to be held in Kiri, or perhaps those in Suna. Either way, they would quickly gain the experience they would need to counter the war that was already brewing, though it had not yet erupted. He didn't know who would strike first: Iwa, Kumo, perhaps Amegakure. Whoever it would be, he had already been in one war, so he knew well enough what was coming.

For the past hour or two he had been training some of his rather rusty skills, just to get some use of them; he had been relying on his most powerful skills for so long that he sometimes forgot how helpful an accurately thrown kunai could be in a pinch. Using his Sharingan was usually an option, but relying entirely on its enhanced vision could be crippling against some opponents. It was much harder to hit the targets when he didn't have that advantage, but that didn't matter. He had always been a little clumsy, but he couldn't afford to be. Not anymore.

As Obito threw the next kunai and nailed the bull's-eye again - he was having a good run today - he heard footsteps approaching. Certainly no shinobi that wanted to be stealthy would let their footsteps be heard, and this was a rather obscure training ground. Obito barely needed to guess who it was, as the distinctive gait, measured and calm, could only belong to one person.

"Hello, Kakashi," he said neutrally, flipping the next kunai into his target with barely a thought.

The silver-haired Jōnin stepped from the bushes with a neutral expression, his one eye wandering over his teammate before glancing at the target and the kunai lodged in the middle. "I'm impressed. You have gotten considerably better at this. Though still inferior for a Jōnin."

Obito snorted. "I used to miss from five feet; I think I should be glad with what I have." Obito thought back to his conversation with the Hokage. He would try to be civil, for his sake. "What brings the esteemed White Fang of Konoha out here?"

Kakashi twitched at the title, glaring into the distance, probably unwilling to meet Obito's eyes. It hadn't been Kakashi's own decision to gain that particular title, but when he went onto the battlefield wielding his father's chakra blade and sporting that same bright silver head of hair, it wasn't a surprise that some enemies had gotten his identity wrong. With the growing reputation of the young Jōnin, even those within Konoha had taken up the moniker.

"I failed my Genin candidates," Kakashi said after a moment.

"Yes, I heard," Obito said with a nod. "Any particular reason you let them go within hours of first meeting your team? I figured even you would give them at least a _chance._"

Kakashi frowned darkly. "The two boys were docile, uncaring. No bickering, not even any care that the other might get hurt when I put a little pressure on things. The girl had more promise, but seemed far more interested in upstaging people that were not even present than in actually showing her mettle." He turned away. "They were unfit to be shinobi."

"You're pretty harsh," Obito complained. "You weren't the most emotionally developed on our team, you know. Do you remember that time you nearly died twice in one mission? If it weren't for sensei, you'd have been toast."

Kakashi rubbed a hand over his eye patch with a grimace. "I remember it well."

"Don't write off Genin just because they're not perfect, then," Obito said. "I was probably the least useful on that whole mission, and even I got to be a Jōnin. Not everyone is like _you._"

"These Genin will have to meet my standards, if they are to be my students. I was ready at a young age, and I never hesitated. If these new ones wish to be taught by me, they will have to be ready as well." He stared blankly. "Those who are not ready will die on the battlefield."

Obito shook his head. "You and your fatalism again? Come on, if anyone can whine about his team, it's me. I have an Uchiha _and _a Hyūga on my team, and you know how well those mix, especially these days. Then there's Naruto on top, too." He shivered. "It's going to be a chore to turn them into a well-oiled machine."

"I thought you _liked _sensei's kid."

"He reminds me too much of a younger me, I suppose," Obito responded. He ran a hand through his short black hair, adjusting his hitai-ate. "He still has to grow some, I guess."

Kakashi stared blankly.

"Oh, don't look at me like _that,_" the Uchiha complained. "I have changed, you know! I have responsibilities and that sort of thing. I could probably beat you in a fight, if you were ever to actually duel me."

"Perhaps we will, someday." Kakashi smirked slightly behind his mask, though his face reverted to a blank expression in a moment. Obito counted it as a victory nevertheless; getting the Hatake to show any emotion whatsoever was difficult even on a good day.

Kakashi grabbed a kunai from his own belt, effortlessly throwing it at the target; it very neatly landed in between the two already there. "I heard you finished a solo A-rank mission recently, and came back unharmed. I am aware that you're capable, more so than I believed when we still shared a formal team." Kakashi looked Obito squarely in the eye. "I acknowledge that."

Obito paused. "So why are you looking at me like that, still? I _have_ grown, you know."

Kakashi looked away. "There was just something in my eye," he said as he concentrated, and _Chidori _burst alight around his hand, much brighter than it used to be. In an instant the target was no more, as a hole was smashed right through it, the edges catching ablaze from the energy. Kakashi pulled back his hand and turned. "You should figure it out yourself, Obito. The Genin were inferior, and I think you know that we were too, back then. I don't know if we're ready now, but..." He shook as he went to walk away, but Obito grabbed him by the shoulder before he could.

"Kakashi,I know that from the beginning we were water and oil, but this pointless animosity..." He shook his head. "It's not necessary."

"I am not _angry _with you, Obito."

"Then what? You look at me with that weird look in your eye, all the time." He sighed. "It's not still about then_,_ is it? It's been so many years since Rin. You don't blame me for what happened, right? Any more than you blame yourself?"

Kakashi turned away. "No, that is not it either."

He vanished with _Shunshin_, and Obito wondered what he should do about the man. Kakashi hadn't changed much from when he was younger; perhaps he had gotten even more cryptic, though he had long given up on lecturing about rules and regulations. He had just come by to do nothing, to share a few words and then leave again? Kakashi was _weird._

"I'll never understand you," Obito lamented as he stared at his ruined training ground. "And couldn't you have used your little display on a tree I wasn't using? It's a forest; you had _plenty_ of choices around here! Damn it, Kakashi!"

* * *

"Spin the water around," Naruto muttered as he stared at the water balloon in confusion. "What kind of exercise is that, anyway?"

The evening was setting in as Naruto made his way around town, a little blue balloon in his fist. He had asked his father to teach him the _Rasengan_ for years, and finally he had gotten the man to agree, and then he had received _this._ He had been told to pop the balloon using his chakra, but he had no clue how to go about it. Trying to swirl his chakra around was annoying, particularly since half the techniques he had trained explicitly did the opposite, straightening chakra into planes or angles. His chakra almost seemed sluggish, unwilling, whenever he tried this particular training; he would need to work on his chakra control again, which was always a pain.

Being the child of the Hokage meant that he had a lot of privileges compared to some other shinobi kids, but it did come with a price. As Hokage, his father was almost always busy, and those few times when he had free time were mostly spent on family gatherings, rather than on training any particular ninja techniques. This meant, ultimately, that he mostly learned his skills from his mother, who had more time to waste, as she put it.

Naruto wandered lazily through town, not sure where he would go. His parents wouldn't be home for an hour or two yet, and things would be terribly boring till then. Bored as he was he found himself wandering past the Uchiha compound; he ignored the suspicious glares aimed at him. Several pairs of red eyes followed him as he left their part of the village, and he let out a sigh of relief when the last of the Konoha Police Force also vanished.

It wasn't very long before he reached that other great clan compound. The Hyūga compound was divided fairly neatly into two parts; one sizable section for the Main Family, of whom Hinata was a part, led by her father Hiashi. The other side was for the Branch Family, home to Neji and led by his father Hizashi. The two leaders were actually twin brothers, almost indistinguishable aside from the seal imprinted on the forehead, one that every Branch Family member had.

Naruto well remembered the intense debates held within his own home, where one or the other would rail against their brother with ferocity. His father had always just listened, listening to every word, though there were only a few times that he had done anything about the disagreements within the clan. Compared to the Uchiha clan, which didn't seem to agree on anything, it had been quite a while since the Hyūga had gotten into trouble.

The first time he met Hinata, Naruto had been six years old. Hinata had been shy, and tended to stutter; even at her father's sharp disapproval of that attitude, she had not changed much. Naruto had tried to show Hinata some of his house, and had begged to show her the Hokage's tower, but had been rebuked by both his father and Hiashi. It had been almost two years since that day when he saw her again, and she had changed already, then. She had looked him right in the eye at the Academy, hadn't stuttered even once. Whatever had happened in those intervening years, it was as if she had been broken down and built up again, but differently from before.

Hinata was outside now; Naruto could see her near the entrance to the compound, slapping and poking at a wooden training post with what he recognized as the trained hits of Jūken; charged with chakra, each of those subtle pokes and taps could stop people cold or rupture organs. It was known as the Gentle Fist for a reason, and the Hyūga were the masters of the style.

"Hinata!" Naruto called. He wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about, but just wandering around wasn't going to lead to anything interesting. "Yo, Hinata?"

He wasn't sure what to say to the Hyūga heir: They had never truly spoken. Though he was well aware of protocol for all sorts of noble families, including that of the daimyō, which was a hazard for the child of a Kage, he didn't think it would really apply here. Hinata was an heir of a noble family, true, but she had little to no official duties as of yet. As far as he knew, she shouldn't be treated any different than anyone else in an informal setting like this. So he just yelled at her.

"Naruto," Hinata said after a moment, acknowledging his calls. She stopped her routine, bowing momentarily to the pole, as if to an enemy. Then she turned, looking on him with the activated Byakugan, veins at the corners of her eyes standing out clearly as blood surged to her eyes to keep them active. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I was just ..." He shrugged. "I thought I could find my new team-mates, but Sasuke's place is closed as usual. All those people looking all menacing. I figured I could get to know you two a little, right? I never really did during the Academy..."

"I would not count on getting into the Uchiha compound," Hinata said after a moment. "The Uchiha are obsessed with their secrecy, after all." She glanced at Naruto with a wry grin. "I suppose we will find out first hand, with our new sensei."

"Tobi-sensei is _cool,_" Naruto argued. "You'll see!"

"Time will tell, or make fools of us all." She looked momentarily back at her house as she deactivated her dōjutsu. "Father is not at home. I suppose you can come in for a moment. Hanabi might enjoy seeing a new face..."

Naruto jumped the gate easily, slipping his father's water balloon into his pocket. He glanced at the wooden pole that Hinata had been working on as he passed it; there were cracks all over it, even from her soft taps. "I suppose you're ready for tomorrow, just getting a bit of last-minute training in?"

"Of course." She gestured him along. "Don't track dirt into the house, please. Father would ask Neji to clean it up, and he loathes being treated like that."

"He's here?" Naruto looked around nervously. Neji had never been the most tolerable of people. "Should I be worried? Last time we met, he had nothing good to say about me, at all."

"He's on a C-Rank mission, and due back in a week," Hinata informed him. "His sensei intends to take his team for an extended training trip shortly after his return, so he will only stop by briefly. I believe his team will be competing in the next Chūnin Exams." She walked into the central building of the compound.

"Are those soon?"

"Still a few months away," Hinata said easily. "Kiri will be hosting, if the current alliance persists that long. I presume it will, since the Mizukage is visiting Konoha in two weeks to meet with your father and the council. I believe my father intends to be present as well."

Naruto blinked. "Dad mentioned that. Said that the Mizukage is a real hard-ass."

Hinata shook her head at the comment, though the corners of her mouth twitched up. "Do you want any tea, perhaps? I will ask Kō to make some for us while I find my little sister. We have many varieties, so I'm sure there is something you would like."

Naruto nodded dumbly. "Sure, whatever you have."

Hinata vanished into the next room and Naruto sat down at the side of the room, straightening his orange-and-black outfit. There was only a very low table to the side of the room, and no chairs; a more traditional household than he was used to. He squatted at the side of the room as he waited, wondering what was going on. He hadn't quite expected a welcome like this from the usually cold and straight-faced Hyūga. She had even smiled, sort of!

"Namikaze-sama," a short man said from the passage to the outside, smiling thinly. He had long white hair that reached down his back, tied into a braid at the end, and a hitai-ate hung from his shoulder, strapped on loosely.. His eyes were milky-white, as they were for all Hyūga, and on his forehead was a symbol resembling a vicious cross. He was a Branch Family member, then. "I am pleased to see you; I had hoped that you would someday visit, so that I might greet you."

"Eh, likewise," Naruto said hesitantly. "Hyūga-san."

The man nodded. "I received word that Hinata-sama had been put on your team, alongside the Uchiha boy. When I saw you approach the gate, I became curious. Forgive me. I am Hyūga Hiromasa, pleasure to meet you. I served your father, once, though I'm afraid that it has been a while." He glanced down at his leg; the unmistakable clunk of wood on wood as he took a step made it clear enough what had happened. An artificial leg.

"It's an honour to meet you, sir," Naruto said, bowing slightly as he stood up. "I believe my father has spoken of you before, though forgive me if my memory is faulty. It was at my birth, wasn't it? When the _creature_ nearly broke out?"

The man looked troubled, nodding slightly. "Indeed. When your mother nearly succumbed to the perils of childbirth, and the Nine-Tails lashed out, I was guarding the tower. The Fourth protected the city from the creature by sealing it tighter than it used to be, but not before its chakra tore through the city like a knife through butter. There were many wounded in that chakra burst, and I lost my foot, and my career. It could have been worse."

"Right. Nobody died, but there were wounded," Naruto said in realization. "Dad mentioned a Hyūga that kept walking even when he knew he shouldn't."

Hiromasa smiled, tears in his eyes. He glanced up and for an instant his Byakugan flared up, veins bulging. Then it was gone again. The man turned to Naruto and bowed slightly. "I believe that Hinata-sama is returning. I shall not embarrass her with my presence, but if you have the time someday I would wish to speak with you." He backed to the door, bowing again. "Please protect our family's interests as your own, Namikaze-sama."

Naruto wanted to say something, but the man vanished, and he wondered why he had come in the first place if he was just going to leave. He could understand why having Branch members in the Main Family's house might be a faux pas, but then why had the old man not just come visit him at his home, where there were no such rules? Surely the man was allowed to exit the compound?

Naruto swallowed, suddenly. It was perfectly possible that he _wasn't_. Hyūga regulations and customs were strict, and the Byakugan was not allowed to fall into enemy hands. Even with the seal upon his forehead, there might be ways to steal the eyes of a Branch member, and the elderly would not be able to protect their dōjutsu as well as others. Children and Genin were escorted by higher-rank shinobi; the elderly were not. The Uchiha were said to guard their eyes jealously; the Hyūga were doubtlessly no different.

Before Naruto could figure out what to do about the situation, whether he should tell his father or not, Hinata returned followed by a tall man with short light-coloured hair and a stern look on his face. He was carrying a large platter full of drinks and snacks, and a young girl peeked into the room from behind him, rather similar to how Naruto remembered Hinata when she was this young.

"Thank you, Kō," Hinata said to the older Hyūga. "I appreciate that you are always around to help."

"Of course, Hinata-sama." The man gave a respectful nod at Naruto as well before he put down the platter and turned to leave. "Hanabi, please behave yourself around the guest. Do not embarrass your clan."

"I won't." Hanabi looked at Naruto and blushed. For a moment he glanced after Kō; he had seen that man at the tower once or twice, he was certain. He left just as Hanabi walked forward and stopped right in front of him. "Namikaze-sama, it is nice to meet you."

Naruto looked in amusement at the small girl, who gave him a perfectly level look. Naruto scratched his hair nervously. "You have grown since I last saw you," he muttered at last.

"She's seven now," Hinata answered the unspoken question. She picked up her tea and sipped from it. "We have not spoken in some years, I believe. It is ... strange. To have a teammate that I know by name only, rather than by anything he has done over the years."

"Tell me about it," Naruto muttered.

"Hanabi, go sit _somewhere_," Hinata noted after a moment, when her sister just kept standing in the middle of the room. "And it's rude to use your Byakugan like that."

"Like..." Naruto desperately tried not to think about what that might mean. "So, you and I, in one team. I suppose that will be interesting."

"...Yes." An awkward silence took over. "I suppose I can tolerate you."

"Well, _thanks_," Naruto responded dryly. "I guess you're not horrible either."

Hinata nodded in satisfaction. "Good, we understand each other." She smirked as she took in his sullen expression. "You bought it all, didn't you, back in the academy? Hook, line, and sinker. That's why you never spoke to me again, right? I suppose that means I'm pretty good, or you're pretty dumb."

"Huh?"

Hinata sighed. "The formalities, the emotionless facade that all Main Family members are taught. It was something I learned from an early age, and it took years to perfect. It's taught to every Main Family member, and father insisted that I use it at school. I believe he was worried that I might come across as weak to the Uchiha clan."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I guess I'm dumb. Are you saying that you _aren't_ the ice-cold girl that hit me with some nasty Taijutsu move that one time?"

Hinata rolled her eyes just as Hanabi suddenly turned to Naruto. "Wait, that hair, those eyes... You're the Fourth Hokage's son, aren't you?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's hardly a secret."

"And you're on my sister's team?"

"...Yes. What about it?"

"If you hurt her. I'll-" She pointed at him, fuming. "If you hurt her, I'll _kill _you."

Naruto looked at the little girl warily. "I suppose I'll keep that in mind, then. I wouldn't want a mad seven-year old on my case."

"I swear that I'll do it!"

Hinata shook her head bemusedly, and she couldn't suppress a grin. "Is this why you wanted to meet my team, little sis? Just so you could yell at them in case they ever let me down? I didn't know you were so worried."

"They're _boys _in your team, Hinata_._ Of course I have to yell at them!" Hanabi crossed her arms, frowning seriously at Naruto. "Tell the Uchiha the same, only more so."

Hinata chuckled as she sharply gestured for Hanabi to sit down. "I'm sorry, my sister's a little…"

"I can talk for myself," Hanabi snapped. "You're a kid of the Hokage, which means you have to follow his rules extra super-strict, right? If you don't take care of Hinata, you know what I'll do?"

"You'll kill me, yes." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I swear I'll look out for her."

"Naruto, you don't have to do something like that," Hinata said in amusement. "She's just teasing you, you know. She did the same with Neji's team, last year."

Naruto ruffled a hand through Hanabi's hair, much to her protest. "Well, then, since I'll be protecting your sister here, I suppose you can count me as another cousin, like Neji. Except I'm not nearly as boring and I won't punch you. Well, not _often_."

Hanabi smiled widely. "I can tell Neji what he has to do for me, you know…"

"But you don't," Hinata responded immediately, quite a bit sharper than before. "It's not kind to tease Neji for being in the Branch family."

"I know, I know." Hanabi shrugged. "But Na- Naruto here is not a Branch member, so if he is like a cousin now, he must do what I say!"

Naruto sighed. "Your logic is impeccable."

"Right!" She paused. "What's _inpeckable?"_

* * *

"Minato, what did I tell you about leaving kunai around the kitchen?" Kushina yelled, flaming red hair whirling around as he turned on a dime. She dropped three of the long, modified Hiraishin blades to the side. "Someone will cut themselves on these!"

"We're all ninja here, Kushina. I think we all know how to handle knives." Minato shook his head as he picked up one of the kunai and slipped it into a pocket. "Besides, they allow me to get to places in a hurry. That's helpful, you know."

"I don't care, it looks cluttered." Kushina dropped a few of the kunai on a pile in the middle of the table. "Just take them with you later, would you? I'm sure you don't have to have one in every room of the house. You're not _that_ lazy."

Minato laughed awkwardly as he removed his white cloak with flames on the bottom, hanging it over a chair, followed by his vest. "Another day in which I didn't even get out of the office, another day without anything particularly exciting. It honestly seems like the paperwork's taking more and more time with every day, doesn't it?"

"You're just getting lazy," Naruto said as he entered the room, grabbing one of his father's kunai from the pile and slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks, I was looking for these."

"Did you lose your own again?' Minato asked wearily as he stretched out in his blue underclothes, decorated with a few spirals; Kushina had made them for him. "Those things cost me something to make, you know. Aside from the metal, I have to get proper sealing paper from Kiri, and you know how their economy's been going. They're making a killing off this stuff."

Naruto snorted. "Come on, if you really wanted to you could send Jiraiya by to fetch some on the cheap. As I said, you're lazy."

"Where have you been, anyway?" Minato wondered. "I figured you'd come right home, but I was home earlier than you!"

"I went by the Hyūga compound. I thought I could get away with giving Hinata one of the knives, just in case. I actually got to see a little of the inside. Pretty traditional, but it has a certain charm, I suppose."

"You gave one to Hinata? Hiashi has one already," Minato observed after a moment. "Really, you shouldn't be giving these things out like candy."

"She's on my team, dad," Naruto said as he sat down on the couch, raising an eyebrow. "If you'll allow it, I will even give one to Sasuke, the insufferable prick. Just in case we don't have Tobi around." He narrowed his eyes. "So, tell me, why did I end up with those two? Don't get me wrong, I can't stand Sasuke and I have no idea what to think about Hinata, but why them? They're pretty high on the food chain."

Minato smiled. "I had my reasons."

"Ah, come on." Naruto said, pouting. "You're not even going to give a hint? Did you game the system to give me an advantage? Were you just out to put me with the people I'd probably have the hardest time with? What?"

"Neither of those," Minato said. "Obito had many of the same speculations, actually."

"Yeah, that's another thing. Why is he my teacher, all of a sudden?" He shook his head. "You put two clan heirs and me on the same team? That has to be a set-up. It's like Ino-Shika-Chō or something."

"Just do your best with what I gave you, Naruto. Don't worry, I don't have any nefarious goals." He smiled at Kushina's stormy expression. "Even if your mother doesn't agree."

"You put him in that team because it's exactly like your own team, didn't you?" Kushina accused her husband. "The Uchiha is Kakashi, the Hyūga is Rin, and Naruto is..." She blinked. "Oh. Of course."

Minato rolled his eyes. "Do all of you think I'm always planning something devious?"

"Better safe than sorry," Naruto commented.

"Honestly, it's not like that." Minato looked serious for a moment. "All three of you are high-risk targets. I've discussed it with Obito, and he agrees: if we leave you on separate teams, we risk losing you to a targeted attack. The only way to prevent that would be either to keep you within the walls, or to put you on such strong teams that your talents would not be tested. I chose a hybrid of the two options. I put three powerful Genin on one team, along with one of our most powerful Jōnin. It may slightly unbalancce the usual system, but this team is also expected to face more difficult opposition once your existence becomes known."

"You picked Tobi because of his, you know, crazy eye thing?"Naruto asked with a frown.

"I think he'd be offended if you talked about his Sharingan like that," Minato replied in amusement. "Obito is one of the quickest shinobi in the force, after myself and perhaps Kakashi. He is also one of the few who can easily transport others in an emergency. If you get into a serious situation, he has a way out. That is why I put him as the sensei of your team."

"I thought it was for the Space-Time Ninjutsu," Naruto muttered.

"Someday I'll teach you what I know of those," Minato promised. "But not before you're Chūnin, at least. You've got a little ways to go. How goes the balloon trick, then?"

"Haven't really gotten anywhere," Naruto admitted.

"So, keep working on that," Minato said. "When you've figured that one out, a lot of techniques will seem much easier. Shape transformation is difficult, but once you figure out the worst of it, the rest is simpler. Considering these chains and barriers and whatever else your mother wants you to throw out there, I think you'll find the balloon test quite useful."

"No slacking off," Kushina warned. "You need to keep working on my Ninjutsu, or you'll never get proficient at them. Your father has the flashy ones, I know, but you won't believe how handy Uzumaki skills like chakra chains can be, or seals for that matter."

"Yes, mom," Naruto groaned. "I hope that the missions will get exciting. It would be a welcome change, you know."

"Be careful what you wish for," Minato warned. "Anyway, listen to your chatty mother, Naruto. She knows what she's talking about." He picked up a book: 'Legend of a Gutsy Ninja' by Jiraiya. "When you're a proper Genin tomorrow, and you'd better pass Obito's test, I'll see if I can help you out with the Rasengan's first step, at least a little."

Naruto smiled victoriously. "Deal!"

* * *

Shisui sat at his window when Obito entered; he barely looked up as the strongest member of his clan pulled up a chair and sat down opposite him. The two didn't speak for a little while as Obito removed his hitai-ate, running a finger over it. Shisui finally broke the silence.

"So, you are Sasuke's new teacher."

Obito nodded, staring outside.

"And there is also a _Hyūga _in your team as well," Shisui continued, scorn poorly hidden from his voice. "Two heirs of major clans alongside the son of the Hokage: The favouritism is poorly hidden."

"The Hokage placed Sasuke on one of the most promising new Genin teams," Obito pointed out. "If anything, you should be glad. I would consider it quite an honour to be thought of as important enough to warrant such _favouritism,_ as you put it."

"You were always closer to the Hokage than me," Shisui said after a moment. "I suppose I should thank you for arranging that an Uchiha was included at all, rather than some other clan heir. The Aburame and Inuzuka families could have well been placed in the team as alternatives."

"Hokage-sama already had plans before I suggested it," Obito admitted.

"Of course he did," Shisui said with a thin smile. "That is why he is the village's leader, after all." He paused, narrowing his eyes. "You are close to the village leadership, which sits poorly with some part of the clan, as you well know. Your association with the Hokage's son alongside a Hyūga will not do you any favours in their eyes."

"Why should I care about the looks I get?" Obito said. "You know as well as I do that they can't afford to lose me."

Shisui sighed. "Well, that was what they thought about Itachi too; he was the young genius, after all. Then look what happened to him…"

"I don't think I'm going insane any time soon," Obito said, sounding slightly amused. "Itachi's madness had nothing to do with his ANBU assignments or his other favours to the village. If anything, it was personal."

Shisui sighed wearily. "There is one that might yet go in that direction, however. One that is not as calm or collected as yourself."

"Sasuke."

"Yes. He is angry, consumed by his desire to take revenge for the deaths of his parents. He is angry at me, too, for claiming the role of clan head." He looked outside with a grimace. "It is a role that I never desired, in truth. However, placing the clan under the rule of a child, an emotionally distraught child, is a poor decision no matter how one looks at it."

"I won't go out of my way to make him as you want him to be," Obito said after a moment. "He is an Uchiha, that is true, but he is also a student of mine, now. I can't favour him any more than the others, or there will be talk."

Shisui looked up, glaring. "He must be ready to take his position, when he reaches the appropriate rank."

"I will try and help him get over his obsession, but it is not my job to further Uchiha politics," Obito noted. "Or did you forget that I am, even now, a pariah within my own family?"

"Still."

"I'm not going to play your game. If Sasuke behaves, maybe I will give him a few tips. If the clan ever cares to tolerate my presence again, maybe that can change."

Shisui stared at Obito as the Sharingan emerged in his eyes, immediately transforming further to a shape resembling a shuriken. "You really should reconsider."

"Clan politics is your business, not mine. If you want me to give a damn, then give me some incentive." Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan spun into existence as well, and the two met gazes. For a charged minute, the two didn't move a muscle.

Finally, Shisui looked away."It is not worth half a year of weakness to correct your poor decisions," he ground out, rubbing a hand over his eyes as they returned to their usual black. "If you will not abide by Uchiha regulations, at least leave Sasuke to train his Sharingan in peace, without interference. I will see to preparing him for his role myself."

Obito shrugged. "You won't have much time. I don't intend to stay in town much, if I can help it. Sasuke is spoiled, and you know it. So are Naruto and Hinata, although in different ways. It will do them well to see the dirtier side of the world first-hand."

Shisui snorted. "What will you do, then? Take them out to see the Akatsuki in Ame? Perhaps you feel that a visit to Kumo would be instructive? I believe they still fear your very presence there, after the hostilities of a few years ago."

"I intend to travel to Suna for a few weeks," Obito admitted. "The Kazekage is a long-standing ally, after all. It would be a good way for Genin to see new ways of life for ninjas, and the perils of the desert should prepare them for the dangers they may yet face in the future."

"_Suna_, though? It is a dead place."

"I considered Kiri, but with the unrest at their borders I would rather not risk it." Obito frowned, his Mangekyō deactivating. "Suna is closer to Akatsuki, but they have been docile of late. With Hanzō away from Ame, I believe they are content with their current sphere of influence."

"Not for long," Shisui muttered. "It is a small blessing that Konoha is strong. They will not dare to intrude too deeply into the Land of Fire."

"Suna remains a free land as well," Obito pointed out. "It is safe."

The leader of the Uchiha clan finally nodded sharply, though he didn't look convinced. "I will trust that you do as is appropriate. Whatever else you may have become, you remain an Uchiha. In this, follow my commands: Protect the village, and protect the Uchiha name."

* * *

Jiraiya ran a hand through his long white mop of hair as he finally reached the gates of Konoha. It felt good to be back. After almost six months in the south, he could use a good stiff drink and other forms of relaxation.

He ignored those for the moment, though. Striding towards the Hokage's home, figuring it was late enough that his student wouldn't be in the tower anymore, he considered the letter he held clasped in his hand. It was Yahiko's latest proposal for peaceful negotiations, and it would probably lead to a lengthy and boring debate, as usual. He was looking forward to it.

Another part of him was focused on a more recent discovery, though. The south was relatively calm right now, and it didn't look like that would change soon. In a good mood and in no hurry to get back to the village, he had chosen to make contact with some of his northern friends, spies and scoundrels alike, to see if they had anything new. They had a tough time these days, dealing with the potential of counterespionage that was prevalent in the region. Still, his own sources had one important message to deliver to him.

Someone had seen Orochimaru.

The traitor of the Sannin had been away from the public eye for years; nobody had even seen him for most of that time. Unfortunately, his absence just set Jiraiya's teeth on edge, since it probably meant the snake was planning something big and nasty.

Minato needed to know. With tensions between Konoha and Iwa intensifying and Kumo warily seeking alliances against the village as well, Orochimaru could be a destabilizing element. Konoha could find itself, quite suddenly, at war.

He was _not_ going to let that happen.


	3. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**Chapter 3 - For Whom the Bell Tolls**

"He can't be serious about this," Naruto said as he hung from a tree limb, his arms crossed. "It's been an _hour!_ Tobi's late _sometimes_, but he's never _this_ late. It's like he's doing it intentionally!" He huffed. "I bet he just wants to make us look stupid; dad says he was the prankster in his team..."

"No wonder you two get along so swimmingly," Sasuke said dryly, staring ahead without much interest.

Naruto frowned. "Hey! I'm totally a serious ninja! Don't dismiss me!" All he got in return was a derisive snort.

"Do you two _have _to bicker?" Hinata asked. "Just be patient, would you?" Her stance was rigid, and Naruto involuntarily flinched; he had seen her use the Hyūga family style with painful precision before, and it looked like she might break it out at any moment. Her gaze met his, and it was sharper than he would have liked; not much of her friendliness of the previous day was visible now.

"But Hinata-ch..." He swallowed his exclamation as a sudden, intense feeling of dread crept up on him. "Hinata-san. It's just... he's not usually _this _late, you know..."

She raised her eyebrows, her milky white eyes focusing on him. "If you feel bored, you might consider training. You could use it. Both Uchiha-san and myself have been best of the class before; you haven't. In fact, I recall that your proficiency with the _Henge _was rather _selective _for most of our schooling."

Naruto sulked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "The academy is so _boring, _though!I mean, even Mom teaches better, and she's not even a proper teacher. Far too impatient for one, anyway..."

"Then concentrate on something else. There are other things to work on. Chakra control, maybe. You could always use more of that, with your kind of reserves." Hinata shrugged. "It's better than nothing."

"Or you could train at being silent," Sasuke suggested. "I would appreciate that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto scowled. "Just 'cause I'm not a Taijutsu expert, or some genius or another..." He sniffed. "Anyway, Tobi's supposed to be testing our jutsu anyway, isn't he? If we're going to use all our energy before he gets here, what's the point? We'd just be all tired! Half my techniques aren't supposed to be used against people I like, anyway."

Hinata conceded with a slight nod, then frowned. "Tell me, why do you call sensei by such a silly name, Naruto? It's disrespectful."

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously as he looked away. "You mean '_Tobi_'? Ah... it's sort of silly. When I was little, I kept switching around the letters, you know. Not sure why, but I was convinced that Tobi was the right name for Obito-san, and dad thought it was funny. It sort of stuck after that..."

"Pathetic," Sasuke muttered from his position, leaning against a tree.

Naruto twitched, eager to bash some sense into the Uchiha, but he was pretty sure that his sensei would disapprove, Hinata doubly so, and his mom triply so. Unsupervised fighting was out of the question, or he'd end up in a heap of trouble again; his mother always seemed to have chores waiting for him if he hit someone without a good reason, like the time he and Kiba had ended up in a wrestling match that went a little overboard.

"Whatever, I don't care. Waiting for his lazy ass isn't my idea of a good time!"

Naruto sighed, fetching a little water balloon from his pocket and spinning it slowly as he dangled from the tree. Even if he wasn't doing too great with this step of his Rasengan training, at least it kept his mind busy, and that counted for something. Dad had taken about three years to perfect the technique, so he had some time to get good at it; he had only been at it for about three or four months.

Even though his mother had given him many hours of instruction to improve his manipulation of chakra, the large amount which he had inherited was unwieldy and took a long time to move about. Still, it meant he could be wasteful if he wanted to be. The problem here was that being too wasteful with the water balloon would just rupture it, and he hadn't brought any spares with him. Not for the first time he cursed his lack of preparation. Considering his father seemed to have planned out every movement hours in advance, it was a bit discouraging.

Naruto glanced up after a while, as silence had descended on the trio. Hinata was moving through the measured forms of a Hyūga Taijutsu kata, designed to work with her ability to project chakra into very specific places through touch. When she noticed his attention, not to mention his lacklustre attempt at swirling his chakra around for the first stage of the Rasengan, she seemed momentarily amused, and the thin smile set Naruto at ease. Then he forget to keep his focus on the balloon, and it burst violently by bulging on one end as his chakra uncoiled, covering him in water.

"Brilliant," he murmured, and he gave up on getting any better with the Rasengan that day.

"Fantastic," Sasuke noted dryly.

"Damn it, Sasuke-" Naruto started, before he stopped himself. Breathing in deeply, he started again. "Right, that was my fault. Anyway, we're in a team now... What kind of jutsu do you use, anyway, Sasuke? Fire ones, I guess, but you never got around to them in the academy, and hardly anyone has access to the Uchiha compound..."

"Hn," Sasuke agreed with a shrug. "That's intentional, since some Uchiha jutsu are clan secrets. Though I can see the reasoning behind your question. I know the Grand Fireball, and several smaller fire jutsu that can be incorporated into Taijutsu attacks. I also know two Doton jutsu, though they require work before I can use them in a fight. I've been thinking of acquiring some Raiton ones as well, but there are few with that element among my family."

"That's not bad for a new Genin," Naruto said. "You have the Sharingan, I take it?"

The Uchiha scoffed. "Of course."

Naruto smirked. "Well, I would advise against trying to copy my techniques, at least," he said, his expression suddenly serious. "Besides it being staggeringly impolite, most of my jutsu are either very dangerous to people who don't know what they're doing, or the chakra drain could be lethal, even to you. I've heard from mom that some people end up skewering themselves with their own chakra. Nasty stuff."

"I was briefed about the risks of your parents' specialities," Sasuke murmured, turning away. "Hn. Figures I'd get on a team with people whose techniques I can't copy... Just my luck."

Naruto frowned. "It's the enemy you're supposed to copy, anyway."

"Whatever."

"Yeah, yeah. Bastard."

Half an hour passed with little activity as Naruto wandered around on the side of his tree by sticking to it, doing little tricks every so often to keep himself busy, though he didn't know if it was helping his chakra control any. Sasuke had barely moved a muscle, just staring up at him with a frown, while Hinata continued her exercises, her Byakugan activated the entire time.

Growing tired of the prolonged silence, Naruto flopped down next to Sasuke again, hands in his pockets. "You're all gloomy as usual, I see. But if we're going to be waiting for a while, might as well get to know each other already, right? At least, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and we really just heard yours. Dad's always said that knowing your teammates and their abilities is vital, so..." He frowned. "I'm the only one that _doesn't_ have fancy eyes. But you two will be good trackers, right?"

"The Byakugan is very good for finding possible threats," Hinata agreed shortly, her demeanour back to the frosty one Naruto was used to, though she was at least more talkative than in class. She stopped her kata and turned to him. "Tracker teams often have a Hyūga family member among their number, since the ability to see for great distances and in many directions at once is very effective for scouts."

"Uchiha are common as well, due to our visual prowess," Sasuke volunteered.

Hinata gave a sharp nod. "That's not even mentioning the advantage of observing the flow of chakra, which can reveal hidden threats before they even come in range. For example, I can see that both your reserves are quite large, which would normally mean that our tactics should reflect that. If I could tell the same about an opponent, I would be able to deduce who should be taken out first. My own reserves are small, though Hyūga techniques primarily focus on chakra control, so that is of no concern."

"I read a few things about that," Naruto mused. "So... what does that chakra sight of yours look like? Blue lines, like in the pictures that I've seen? Do you just see extra floaty bits inside people, the chakra system without anything else? Or can you just look straight into people?" He shivered. "It's creepy..."

"It is hard to describe," Hinata responded, and didn't elaborate further.

Naruto grunted, glancing at Sasuke. "I know a lot about the Sharingan, at least. Tobi's been training his for ages, and I've seen him do a whole lot of techniques with them, and the ones he's copied, too. That must be pretty useful, right?"

Sasuke didn't respond at all to Naruto's attempts to start a conversation.

"Well, this team's off to a great start," Naruto said softly, but he forced himself to ignore his unease. "We have tracking and Taijutsu from you, Hinata. Sasuke's focused on his eyes and fire techniques, so that leaves me." He shook his head self-deprecatingly. "You two likely learned a lot more than me, since you're from large clans. Mom's taught me all sorts of things, but beyond some Uzumaki stuff, I don't have a specialty. I just learned what was cool. I suppose I have a bunch of Barrier techniques, but none of them are strictly ready to be used in a fight..."

"We're Genin. Most of us have not specialized yet, except those with Kekkei Genkai," Hinata pointed out, then stilled. Turning ever-so-slightly, the veins around her eyes engorged with blood as she squinted. "Obito-sensei will be here in approximately three minutes; I can see him approaching. I would suggest we prepare."

"Finally it's time to get started," Naruto said as he stretched. "Tobi-sensei probably has something neat in mind for the Genin exam, you know. Should be fun!"

Sasuke glowered just as Obito appeared from the forest, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry I'm late," the man said, running a hand through his short hair. "I thought I heard something, so I had to go check if there were any old ladies that needed my help..." He smiled. "Well, never mind that, it's not important. It's good to see you're all here in time."

The world shimmered, slipped.

"Right, Tobi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, and he was about to enthusiastically berate his new teacher for his tardy schedule when everything suddenly felt terribly off. From one moment to the next, as if a solid lump of coal fell from the sky, everything went dark. The sun vanished, the air chilled, and the sound of ringing steel echoed eerily across the desolate training field. He glanced around uneasily, and his hands and feet felt sluggish, as if they were wading through water. Naruto was about to mention the weird sensation when it strengthened, and robbed him of his voice. He froze, eyes widening as the world seemed to _convulse._

"_Watch out!" _came a gurgled command, just before something flashed near, something very, very fast. Naruto reacted without thinking; he dropped backwards, rolling away from where he stood in a move which he had trained often enough to become natural. He twisted back upright a solid distance from his last position, a kunai clenched in his fist. There was a jarring moment of silence, as even the village's sounds died down, and darkness clamped down like a vice.

Something dripped from his hair, and he imagined for a moment that it was just water from his balloon. It was warm, however, and he could not keep in a whimper of fear as he realized the truth.

His eyes feverishly took in the place he had left, and the solid dark lump that lay there, unmoving, surrounded by a liquid that reflected the slight ambient light.

_Blood._

Naruto was _covered _in blood.

* * *

"You are talking about an alliance with Akatsuki, sensei," Minato shook his head in disbelief. "After what happened at the border of Suna? Seriously?"

Jiraiya winced minutely. "I admit, that... incident... didn't paint Yahiko or the others in a positive light, but I think they have curtailed their army's... exuberant tendencies. Between Nagato and Yahiko, they have enough power at the top to enforce it." He walked back to the desk with a shake of his head. "You know that they mean well, right? Yahiko is a rebel, not a statesman. I am not surprised he's a bit stuck in his old ways of thought."

Minato frowned as he leaned back in his chair. "That is an interesting sentiment, but how far can we trust his organization, even if he himself was acceptable to us? Usurping Amegakure was not a tragedy considering the one previously in charge, but Akatsuki's acts of aggression since then contradict their supposed peaceful intentions. Even if their leader is a visionary, it will do us no good if his followers destroy all they touch."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know, and I think the reason is clear. Nagato is... a little different from Yahiko. You already know about his eyes, about that dōjutsu of his. I fear that he has lost perspective in recent years, but Yahiko tolerates his excesses since they are like brothers. That is why I hope that Konoha can help steer their organization back towards its roots, rather than moving further towards Nagato's revolutionary intentions." He shrugged. "At least Konan seems to agree with me, which is something."

"Hmmm?"

"She's the third one of the orphans," Jiraiya noted. "I've mentioned her before, I'm sure. She's sort of the mediator among the boys, but of late she's become rather isolated. I'd hope that some real international politics would demand the attention of all three, allowing for the mending of old bridges..."

Minato grimaced. "If civil war erupts in the South, it could spread to our home. Even with your assurances of relative peace, it is far too tentative for my tastes. I would rather have a good buffer between ourselves and anarchy. Then there is the news from the north, which is even more worrisome. Orochimaru. _Again._"

"At least he and Akatsuki remain separate and opposed," Jiraiya pointed out. "That's good for us."

"Yes... but how long will such a tentative peace hold? Will they clash with another, or will they ally against us, if we deny Akatsuki entrance? I am not fond of betting, Jiraiya-sensei. I don't know if I should prepare for full-scale war, or not." He frowned. "Even with the village as powerful as it is, you know that we have weaknesses, chinks in our armour. Preparing our defences might also attract unwanted attention."

"We're strong, though."

"Strong _enough_?" Minato turned, looking outside with a troubled expression. "I would rather spare the new generation yet another crippling war, but the rumblings have started to get louder. The north is unsatisfied and will attempt something soon, and the south might help them. A pincer-movement like that might cut us off from our greatest allies if we're not careful."

Jiraiya frowned darkly. "So, what do you propose we do?"

Minato shrugged. "I think it's time we increase our border guards. The village _and _the land's borders, both. I will arrange for a doubling of assigned shinobi. I'm putting a halt on foreign missions until this mess is over. We have enough money saved to maintain that for a few months, at least. It will send a message of wariness more than war, which should serve our needs."

"It seems a bit... soon."

"Perhaps not soon enough," Minato replied. "The Uchiha situation came very close to disastrous as well, and nobody quite realized it. This has to be done." He nodded sharply. "I will inform the relevant people as soon as I can reach them - I believe it would be a good time to get our new Chūnin some much-needed experience."

Jiraiya shrugged, then paused. "You know, something else's been on my mind... Isn't today the day of the Genin tests? I figured you'd want to be there for Naruto, not holed up out here."

"You're right - but I think that little Obito can handle it." Minato smiled. "Hyūga, Uchiha and Namikaze in one team. An interesting combination, don't you think? Particularly with my own student leading them."

"He's not so little anymore, you know," Jiraiya observed dryly. "More like an Uchiha than anyone ever expected, I think." The Toad Sage grimaced. "You know how ruthless that twerp can be, since you've worked with him enough. Honestly, he's effectively ANBU material, not the type to lead a Genin team. It'd be like putting Ibiki in charge of one. They'll be ruined in a _week_."

"Obito doesn't _want_ to be in ANBU," Minato said. "Ostensibly it's the masks, but I think it's more complex than that. He hides it, but seems less on his guard around me. In truth, he's afraid. Afraid of himself, perhaps. You know what he's capable of, as you said. I believe Obito knows that ANBU would give him free license to do his worst, and a mask to hide behind to avoid direct consequences. Those eyes of his certainly don't help matters. I think he recognizes that joining ANBU would work into a flaw in his personality."

"That's the case with all these Uchiha and their issues," Jiraiya said caustically. "It's always something. They're unreliable and questionably loyal."

"Nidaime-sama would have agreed with you," Minato observed tiredly with a thin smile. "Still, Obito is the most stable of the lot, next to Shisui," he added. "I never even implied that he was disloyal, just that he can get carried away when lives are on the line. That's something else entirely, and hardly unique among shinobi. I consider it a sign of maturity that he would even go so far as to avoid his own breaking point."

Jiraiya growled. "He still butchered fifty people _that _day, Minato. Even Kakashi stunk of fear for weeks after that, and he was in ANBU at the time, used to violence. If you call Obito _stable_, what the hell are we doing, allowing the Uchiha in this village at all?" He turned away. "Then there was the Itachi incident, of course."

Minato flinched. "This room is not secure, sensei. We cannot go into detail."

Jiraiya slammed his hand into the table. A seal burst alight on the flat surface, shining with eerie light. "Now it _is. _And you know damn well that we're alone in here; you've got this place sealed up so tight that even I spent ten minutes getting through the front door. This one's redundant." He sniffed. "Itachi... That disaster proves my know that we were edging on a coup, and it was all the Uchiha clan's fault, wasn't it? What happened might have removed some of the prime instigators, but it almost came to _civil war. _How can you forget that?"

"Obito was not involved," Minato said firmly. "He was ousted from the clan years before. Shisui and Obito were the prime reasons why the entire fiasco was prevented, don't forget that either! Whether or not you believe that they are monsters on the battlefield is not of my concern." He grasped one of his three-pronged kunai, holding it between his hands loosely. "After all, who am I to criticize them?"

"That -" Jiraiya started, then he grimaced.

"What? It's different?" Minato raised an eyebrow. "I killed more than a thousand people in the war, Jiraiya. Single-handedly. What is a kill count of fifty compared to that? What are a hundred in the wake of one team member's death and the total collapse of the other? Even I would likely have cut a swath through the enemy ranks in retaliation, had I seen Rin die - much less be partially responsible for what happened. I understand your concern, but just because Obito can be merciless, does not mean that he cannot be trusted. In fact, I think Naruto could use that kind of treatment, a little. He's been coddled enough."

"Tossing someone to the lions is not generally considered a boon," Jiraiya murmured.

"Naruto's got plenty of both me and his mother in him, Jiraiya. He's got potential, if not in academia, that he's not reaching at the moment - he does have the blood of his parents running through his veins, and we're no slouches. He's going to be a fine shinobi, but he'll need to get used to the bloodier parts of it, too." Minato leaned back in his chair, shaking his head slowly. "I think it's a good idea to put Obito in charge of that, since he has a way of getting through to rookies, especially the innocent ones. He has plenty of experience with being the clueless one on his team, after all."

Jiraiya ground his teeth. "I won't tell you to change your mind - but having him in a leadership capacity means he'll be the only Jōnin in the team most of the time - and that's taking hefty risks. Do you know how many enemies that man has?"

"Yes," Minato said coolly. "I have more than that, still. Naruto himself has already been the target of dozens of assassins merely through his relationship to me. Still - every single one is a lesson, don't you agree?"

* * *

Blood, there was blood all over him, and it _reeked_. Naruto looked down with wide eyes as the world seemed to wobble, before he realized that his vision was narrowing to a point, and he realized he was heading towards unconsciousness; he forced himself to breathe regularly, even as his heart hammered erratically in his chest. The blood was disgusting, strangely warm, and so _sticky_. His vest was nothing but a red blot, and his pants were soaked; blood dripped off hands that trembled involuntarily.

Where had it come from?

"What the hell?" He asked, even as a part of him already knew the answer, and refused to accept it with equal fury. He looked up in an instant of crystallized fear as he realized that someone must have drawn that blood, and froze. A few dozen feet ahead stood someone new, someone dangerous, a long and jagged ninjato clasped in one hand, while the other held the cloth with which he had grasped his victim. His blade was shoved down into the ground almost half a foot, impaled straight through someone's body. All Naruto recognized of the victim was teeth, gleaming white set in a smile that was frozen in death.

He moved again after a long and dreadful pause; he took in a sharp breath and yelled, tripped, and fell over his own feet, though his eyes never left that terrifying gaze, that insane bloodlust that seemed to scream for his death. Blood ran down the shinobi's face, and his hitai-ate stood out clearly on his forehead, gleaming red against the pitch-black sky. Iwa, Naruto recognized somewhere in the back of his mind. He pulled out a weapon of his own; kunai were the only close-combat weapon he carried. He held it in front of him with shaking hands as he struggled upright. His stomach roiled with panic, which he tried to subdue, knowing what it could cost him.

"So, you're this traitor's students, eh?" the man said sibilantly, tongue running across his teeth as he pulled back his sword with a sickening sound, then slashed down again into the person he had skewered, slicing through the neck with a sickening sound. The body didn't move an inch; it was already dead. Naruto tried to make sense of who it was, stretched out there on the ground, but his mind wouldn't respond with any good answer, even if he was sure he should have known. In panic he raised his trembling kunai.

"Don't come any closer!"

The man laughed, his eyes flashing with unnatural light as he took in his opponent. "The son of the Yellow Flash, cowering in his boots? Oh, this is brilliant, isn't it? I suppose stupid bravery isn't hereditary, after all." He stepped forward, his blade still dripping with blood as he raised it up and smiled, licking the edge; Naruto twitched in disgust and fear.

"G-Get away!"

The man smirked. "I never thought you would be a coward, boy. Didn't figure you would run away or cower from your doom."

"I won't run!" Naruto barked, and he gritted his teeth, remembering just who he was. "You've made a big mistake. Once dad figures out -"

"Ah, yes, the Hokage. It seems he was called off." The man snickered. "Isn't that a coincidence? The same for your mother, in fact. And your dear uncle. You're alone, boy. No saviours in capes to rescue you. No, this is a private party." He let out a momentary chuckle. "Isn't that right, pretty Hyūga? Can you see how alone you truly are?"

Naruto paled as he realized he wasn't alone out there: Hinata and Sasuke were somewhere besides him, and he could hear their breathing in the distance, almost as uneven as his own. The realization sent a new jolt of energy through him, and the haze of panic lifted, enough to recognize the terrible feeling in the air for what it was. It was Killing Intent, more vicious and overbearing than he had ever felt it before. This man was projecting such intense malice that it was difficult to even _think_ straight, let alone act.

A plan, he needed a plan, and he needed it soon. His mind refused to focus properly, but it was better than a blind haze, at least; he had the advantage of being underestimated, and that could work in his favour. He had two of the strongest Genin of his class right there, if they couldn't do anything, then nobody had a shot. Still, if this was a professional assassin of some sort, they were hopelessly outmatched. Naruto had to stall until someone came to their rescue, someone really powerful. Mom? Dad, maybe? _Tobi_?

"Who are you? What do you want?" Naruto asked with a wavering voice, and he wanted to kick himself for how weak he sounded. He was just buying time, it wasn't going to solve anything, but he did not have much of a choice. If he could buy some minutes, surely a shinobi would alert the ANBU, at least.

The Iwa shinobi ignored Naruto's panicked questions, his gaze sliding towards Hinata, whose eyes were widened even as her whole face had gone deathly pale. It seemed that the Killing Intent had even stopped her in her tracks, despite it being focused elsewhere. "Well, little girl. What do your all-seeing eyes tell you?" He smirked. "The Hyūga. Such a proud clan, so independent. What will you do, when I slice this boy in half? Scowl at me?" He chuckled. "You aren't marked for death. Nor is the Uchiha. Leave, before you overstay your welcome."

Iwa; of course, it made sense. This shinobi was part of a hit-squad, sent to take out the child of their old foe, the Yellow Flash. It was he that prevented Iwa from trying anything, for fear of encountering him on the battlefield once again, which had kept mild animosity going between Konoha and Iwa since the last war.

War. The chilling prospect occurred to him, then. Killing the child of a Kage would be a demonstration of how poor one's enemies defences were, and an effective way to instigate war, which implied that a lot of things had gone very, very wrong. Naruto knew his father would be like the Shinigami himself if anything were to happen to him, especially from _these _people, there would be a reaping among Iwa's forces, at the very least.

Well, if this shinobi was so far beyond him, at least he could get his teammates out of trouble. His startled panic made way for a cold determination that loosened up his muscles, allowed him to breathe freely in the miasma of fear that surrounded him. He had no reason to be afraid anymore of that which was inevitable. His father's calm instructions came to him, said in passing as he went about his business as Hokage.

_If you are ever paralyzed by fear, you should just be afraid, and let that be it. Fear only stops you if you let it control your actions._ "Go," Naruto said, voice unwavering. "He's after me alone. Go and warn someone, and don't look back. Tell them who came for me."

Neither Hinata nor Sasuke moved an inch.

Naruto groaned to himself as he realized just who were standing beside him. Two children of large clans, honour-bound to support the Hokage. Both would have been taught to fight to the death, if it should be necessary. He should have known that his status as the Hokage's son would make that even more relevant.

The Iwa shinobi's gaze moved to Sasuke next, who had his Sharingan activated, and the dark tomoe rotated around his pupils, standing out starkly in the darkness. "How about you, little Uchiha? Child of a cursed clan, one that couldn't survive unless the Hokage allowed you. It is through his tolerance that your excesses have not damned your whole family. The sole reason you have those eyes is that your clan tortures better than it does child-rearing. Pitiful." He shook his head. "Still, there is no need for you to die, today. You've heard the boy, and you've heard me. Leave." The man looked back at Naruto, eyes gleaming. "You, though... You will die."

"Maybe." Naruto struck out with his kunai with a surge of adrenaline that set his teeth on edge. A sliver of steel worked its way past the ninjato's blade, glancing off the handle and veering dangerously close to his foe's wrist. The swordsman took a step back to avoid being wounded by the slash, and a maniacal grin appeared on his face.

"That's more like it! Do you think you can kill me, Namikaze? Inferior child of a greater man? Incapable of living up to your own kin?" He smiled nastily. "No, you will never become anything other than the failed heir of a very short-lived family."

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto exclaimed viciously, a flash of burning hatred fuelling his assault, which was handily avoided as the sword-wielder stepped out of range. Naruto dropped his kunai without a thought, knowing that it would be pointless to cross blades with an expert like this, and brought his hands together. "_Bunshin no jutsu!_" Three copies of him popped into existence as the real Naruto backed away. "Hinata, Sasuke, get ready to back me up. Hinata, go for the arms first. Sasuke, covering fire."

"You think you can counter me, huh?" The enemy shinobi dashed towards him at such speed that his feet hardly touched the ground, his menacing grin closing in so fast that Naruto was unable to even raise his hands to protect himself. At the last moment, he managed to switch himself with one of the logs that were spread all around the training fields, whirling out of the _Kawarimi _and landing painfully as a bright-red streak appeared on his arm, just shallow enough not to draw blood, though it still hurt. Naruto sighed in momentary relief, though.

That was all the opening the enemy needed; he was right on top of Naruto again before he could react, and as the first strike hit him, cutting into his arm, he responded instinctively, his foot lashing out and catching the nin right on his elbow which gave a satisfying snapping sound, before the other shot out to catch empty air, but it was enough to divert the next slash that might have taken his head off

Naruto rolled out of the way, his hands flashing through hand signs as he steadied himself; a dozen Bunshin appeared, and then even more than that, blanketing the area in illusory images that would hide him, if only for a short time.

"Not a bad show," the shinobi commented, his eerie smile dripping with loathing. "Not good, either. Is this the best you can do? Academy-level jutsu?"

Naruto ignored the jibe, focusing on the strange calmness that had caught him up as he stared at that bloodstained blade, a sort of eerie peace that seemed to pulse with the wound on his arm that was bleeding, if not enough to incapacitate him. He could not hope to match a Jōnin's speed or strength, but he could test his limits, and see how long he'd last. Warnings from his parents occurred to him that were practically ingrained in him through hours of practice, and they were starting to fall away. He had techniques that he had used in private, had never showed in public, since they were meant as secret weapons for emergencies. If this didn't count, what did?

"Sasuke, Hinata; three-prongs, second Iwa stance." He glanced over his shoulder, knowing that if _he _could remember that particular tactic, the two clan geniuses would have it memorized. As his clones evaporated, he pressed his hands together, focusing his chakra. _"__Chakra Kusari!"_

There was a sudden and intense flash of pain that felt like someone ran him through from front to back, and Naruto hunched over slightly to relieve the pressure, though he refused to collapse to his knees as he had done so many times before. With a horrible ripping sound, Naruto's back erupted into a shower of bright chakra, and a viciously thrashing blue-white chain ripped itself free with the sound of clinking metal, whirling through the air and circling Naruto before the sword could get a single hit in. It glanced off the chains with a shower of sparks, leaving the links unmarked.

"_Uzumaki_," the enemy snarled. "I should have guessed you inherited _that._"

Naruto looked up with hooded eyes, suppressing the pain of the imperfect technique even as he used it, forcing the chakra chain to do his bidding; the long, rectangular links in the chain rattled as the chain weaved and bobbed as the tendril of chakra moved as if it were a living thing, intercepting every attack that Naruto anticipated, far swifter than his arms or legs could even move. He smiled in satisfaction.

Then the enemy reached out with his bare hand and _grabbed the chain._

Naruto blanched as his chakra almost instantly dissolved due to his momentary surprise, and he poured chakra into maintaining the construct. Despite trying to rip it loose, the chain would not release itself from the enemy's touch, the end hanging limply from his hand. _Impossible!_ Touching the chains was supposed to be extremely dangerous, since it was pure chakra, and would sear the skin as easily as fire.

"Interesting," the enemy said. "But you are not a master yet."

Naruto growled as he flooded his chakra into the chain, keeping it intact. This shinobi had to be a cut above the others, to have a counter to such a rare technique; he felt almost proud that he required such a capable assassin. His chakra surged ever more, and he couldn't hold in a grin. _I hope you'll learn about this, mom, even if I might not survive it._

Just as he prepared to unleash his gathered power, someone flashed into view.

_"Hakke Sanjūni Shō!" _Hinata exclaimed as her hands blurred with blinding speed, interspersed with quick exclamations, and the enemy managed to block almost every one with the flat of his blade, then seemed puzzled for a moment. Hinata stepped back, and then fire seemed to burst from her whole body as she evaporated. Sasuke was there, right behind where she had been, his hands raised to his lips even as his Sharingan took in every movement.

Naruto realized what had happened at the same time as the Iwa shinobi did. _A trap!_

Fire engulfed everything.

The enemy released Naruto's chakra chain in the same moment that he leapt aside; his hand vanished into his cloak, trailed by thin streams of smoke at a partial hit from the flaming projectile; Naruto's chain snapped back to action as Sasuke grinned triumphantly.

"One of you managed to hit me," the enemy said curiously, cocking his head to the side. "Well, since you seem unwilling to leave, you all die." The man's blade raised ever so slightly as the real Hinata appeared from the darkness, ready to unleash the true version of her Taijutsu assault, but she was not the enemy's target.

Sasuke had just managed to gather himself in the wake of his attack before the enemy was on him.

Three sword-slashes were countered with vicious Taijutsu blocks meant to break stances and shatter bones, but the enemy was too slippery for that, and he seemed to flow around the attacks without issue, grinning all the while. Naruto's chain snapped out, but even the great speed of the projectile was of no use against the enemy's superior skill. "It's no use..." the man crooned.

Focusing his gathered chakra differently in a change of plans, Naruto slammed his hand down to the ground, and it burst forth in straight lines, that snapped into place with a sizzle. Four equally long lines of blue fire were etched in the soil for an instant, surrounding the enemy.

_"Kekkai: Shihō Hyōrō!" _A blue-rimmed structure hummed into existence without a puff of smoke or any warning; from one moment to the next, a clear bright blue cube surrounded the Iwa assassin on all sides, shuddering with contained energy. Naruto stood in front of it, one hand raised to keep it up, as he lifted the other into a one-handed seal.

_"Kekkai: Shiboru."_

The entire glowing cage began shrinking as the walls closed in, the roof lowered, and the eerie humming made it plenty clear what would happen if anyone were stupid enough to try and cross through it.

"What is it?" Sasuke blurted as the Iwa nin stared balefully from beyond the barrier, as no sound could penetrate the barrier. "I thought you said your Barrier techniques-"

"I've been working on them in my spare time," Naruto said testily. "I can't get it smaller than a person, it would destabilize. I can make a hole for you, though, which should be enough." He winced. "I might not be able to crush him, but if you pour a little fire in there, I'm sure it won't be pleasant for long." he added. "Ready?"

Sasuke nodded, flashing through hand signs at high speed. Naruto changed his one-handed sign to Tiger and sent his lone chakra chain ahead. It pierced the barrier's wall without trouble, leaving a neat, round hole in its wake. Fire burst forth, spreading across the shrinking walls and down towards their victim, intent on charring him to ash.

Then the man puffed into nothingness.

"Shadow Clone!" Hinata exclaimed in surprise, but she was too late.

"Say good night," the enemy whispered from right behind Sasuke, just loud enough for Naruto to pick up, before he struck. He was far too fast for Sasuke's Taijutsu to be of any help, and there was the sickening sound of expelled breath and tearing flesh after that. For a moment, it seemed like time was frozen. Very slowly, Sasuke slumped to the ground, sliding off the Iwa-nin's gleaming blade without resistance. For a few moments his blood still came out in spurts, then it was reduced to only a slow drip.

"No, damn it!" Naruto's cold focus turned to hatred, ice-cold loathing that forced him to face it, whether he wanted to or not. Chakra burst to life as it had before, heady and overbearing, simultaneously utterly wild and perfectly controlled.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Naruto snarled with such ferocity that Hinata started, and his eyes narrowed on the enemy with a sole thought, a bestial murmur of murder and vengeance, both for Sasuke and the other, the one he could not name but who he _knew _was important, who still lay deathly still at the edge of the field. As if in response to his thoughts, the chakra chain he had manifested twisted into something monstrous as spikes grew from every link in the chain, and vicious barbed hooks erupted one every straight surface. The end was tipped in a long serrated blade, engulfed in the glow of chakra that poured from their conjurer. The rattling chain whirled around its owner as he cried out in denial, and two more ripped themselves into existence from his unleashed chakra, running wild.

Naruto's blood-tinged visage went completely blank now, merciless. The enemy did not spare any words, since he could not afford to; Naruto's assault came swiftly and violently, with the three blade-tipped masses of blades converging on their shared target, lashing outward with speed and dexterity that a single sword could not easily keep up with. The Iwa nin counter-attacked quickly, his blood-stained blade coming ever closer to their target as Naruto exhausted his chakra supply at great speed.

_"Shugohakke Sanjūni Shō!"_ Hinata was there, slamming her hands into the enemy's forearm before he could try and attack again, her face as emotionless as Naruto's as she forced chakra into every tenketsu she could reach. Naruto's chakra chains lashed out to follow her, flashing by Hinata without even touching her, helping to counter every attack. She glanced back to Naruto momentarily, before nodding. _"Hakke Sanjūni Shō!"_

"So this is what it took to get you to fight seriously?" the enemy yelled as he fled from Hinata's close-range attacks. "Come on then!"

Naruto answered only with another assault. His target half-turned as he deflected Naruto's flailing attacks, just in time to run into Hinata's chakra-filled gentle tap that could certainly have stopped his heart. As it was, the attack brushed by his side as he threw himself aside, eliciting a tortured groan that told Naruto enough; it was a partial hit.

If they could hurt him, they could _definitely_ kill him.

"Keep him busy for a moment," Naruto said quickly as he manoeuvred towards Sasuke, focusing _"Kekkai: Hitsugi,"_ he intoned, and Sasuke's body was scooped up in a thin and narrow box of blue chakra, dragged to the side of the battlefield and away from the enemy, whose wounds would keep him off-balance for at least a moment. The Uchiha looked deathly pale, and the vicious hole that had been torn in his chest was undoubtedly fatal. Blind black eyes looked up at Naruto, and he had the urge to vomit. He couldn't feel a tremor of chakra through the chain, as he should have been able to with anyone living; it was too late. No chakra flow, no life.

He looked up to the Iwa nin calmly. "That's enough, Hinata," Naruto said, right as she disabled the enemy's left leg with a well-timed chakra-fuelled slap. The man grimaced, whirling his ninjato around towards her, and she narrowly dodged it this time; Hinata was tiring. Naruto stepped past her as his chakra chains converged. _I have to use everything! _

"Finally stopped hiding behind your little friends?" The Iwa nin smirked.

"You'll die today, for what you did," Naruto said softly. "That's a promise."

"Well, let's see it, then!" The man swung his blade with incredible force, sending his sword whirling, and Hinata's eyes widened minutely a moment before she realized she could not get away in time. Then Naruto was there, and his chakra covered everything. A sickening sound was heard as blood spurted out in every direction. A body slumped over dead, utterly skewered, no more than a bloody pulp. There was no last breath - he was terminated mid-movement.

Silence reigned for what seemed like a long time.

"N-Naruto-san?" Hinata mumbled at last.

"I never break my promises," Naruto whispered harshly. Nine bloody tentacles of spiked chakra chains were embedded in the dead body of the enemy nin, slicing through every vital organ they could find, mincing and severing the entire way. One of the enemy's hands was gone from his wrist entirely; it lay on the ground a little further, still clasping the sword meant for Hinata, twitching in death. What remained of a face was set in a rictus of terror, of frozen pain.

It took some time for Naruto to look up, but when he managed to meet Hinata's gaze, terrified to find fear there, he just saw awe. He glanced back at his chakra chains, taking in the sheer number, and smiled ruefully as blood leaked from between his teeth, refusing to collapse now. The blood was not his own. "I'm -" He faltered, and his chakra began to disperse as his concentration dropped. One by one, his chains fell apart into pieces and vanished into thin air.

"I guess dad was right," he said at last, and he sank to his knees, shuddering. "He was right." He winced, raising his hand as chakra surged around it, a pale blue aura that seemed to crystallize even as he kept it there, resembling a faceted gem. "...I needed a battle."

Hinata slowly made her way to the last of Naruto's constructs, the box that kept Sasuke's body safe. She shook her head, mumbling under her breath as she leaned beside it. "It was a _test_," she said. "I think it was a test, Naruto."

Naruto turned to her, spent. "What?"

Hinata shook her head, blinking rapidly. "I think -" she said hastily, before she seemed to gather herself. "It's fuzzy, but Obito-sensei came for us, I'm sure of it. He arrived and said some things, and then everything changed around us. I believe -"

"Tobi..." Naruto trembled, his mind curiously blank, and he turned to the dead body that he had seen at the very start. "No! Tobi! Not you, too!"

He blinked in confusion as the body in question faded away, seeping into the ground like water. With him, the pool of blood vanished, and then most of the blood on Naruto's vest and pants followed. The conclusion came swiftly - the body had vanished because Tobi would never have been caught unawares by someone that a few Genin could defeat; it had to be a fake. Why hadn't he been able to reason that out before?

_Genjutsu._

"The freaking Sharingan," Naruto spat, clenching his fists. "That's the answer, isn't it? That's why everything's so messed up. We've been made to avoid thinking about what was going on, just to see what we'd do." He got to his feet, incensed. "ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES, TOBI-SENSEI!"

"It was indeed a test," Sasuke confirmed as he opened his eyes, his pallor vanishing along with his wound. Far from dead, the boy sat up, feeling his intact chest with a frown as both Naruto and Hinata stared at him. He seemed to notice their attention and looked away. "Don't look at me like that - I know I failed. Got myself killed." He shuddered. "Felt... real."

"So this guy..." Naruto gestured down to the enemy shinobi that he had thoroughly perforated. "He's an illusion too - a fake enemy."

"What does he look like to you, Naruto?" Hinata inquired. "I thought I heard you say something earlier, which led to my conclusion about the Genjutsu trap. Of course, it was far too late to use that information, though..."

"Some Iwa jerk," Naruto answered, puzzled. "He's got the hitai-ate and everything."

"He _doesn't_," Hinata said with certainty. "I'm seeing a Kumo headband. You're seeing Iwa because that's who you would reasonably believe could be sent after you - Iwa's been after your family since the last war." She frowned. "For me it's Kumo, because of the failed kidnapping attempt." She turned to Sasuke. "Let me guess - "

"I don't think we've been hearing the same things," Sasuke confirmed. "It was Genjutsu since the beginning." He focused on the enemy as he scowled. "But I still can't see through it, even with the Sharingan. It's good; it's very good. It seems that Obito-sensei's eyes are as powerful as the stories suggest."

"This was no bell test," Naruto whined. "So he did change it... Was the point to kill this guy, then?" He sighed in relief. After this much abuse of his chakra chains, more than twice his previous record, it would be _days_ before he could try again, and more if his mother didn't end up punishing him for abusing them in a test. "Well, we succeeded at that at least, right? I guess we pass?"

_I couldn't have known about all that - Tobi-sensei is sadistic!_

A familiar form wavered into existence right then, a red-eyed face with a smile, followed by the rest of his body as it twisted itself into being. "Well, my dear Genin..." he started, smiling ruefully.

"What was that about!" Naruto blurted, interrupting Obito. "I thought it was real! That was cruel! I thought that someone went and _killed _someone right in front of me, you know! You made me use techniques I was supposed to keep a secret, now I'll get in trouble!"

"I doubt that. This outcome was the whole point," Obito said dryly. He stooped down momentarily, touching the enemy nin's form. "This was your test; life or death. I wanted to see how far you would go, when driven to the point of failure. Whether you would sacrifice your safety or your secrets for the team, or whether you would keep them at a distance. Sasuke was the strongest fighter among you three, since both his Taijutsu and Ninjutsu are considerably above average. That's why I elected to take him out. It was then that the other two truly gave their best."

"You failed me on purpose?" Sasuke sneered. "Figures, traitor."

Obito shrugged. "When Sasuke was knocked out of the game, despite your best efforts to work together - which was commendable, by the way - I wanted to see what the others would do. Naruto's intent to limit the damage to his team was respectable; in a real situation, leaving one behind to stall while others deliver a warning home is a valid tactic, but I appreciate the loyalty that the other two showed, too. It took two of you to take this guy down, after all. Naruto went a little beyond the usual, but that's not unexpected in a real fight. You'll really only find your limits when you're pushed to the edge."

"I thought Sasuke was dead," Naruto admitted slowly. "I was going to return the favour to that bastard nin..."

"Appreciate the gesture," Sasuke said dryly. "Though I'd prefer you going crazy on the enemy _before _he kills me."

Naruto just narrowed his eyes. "I was going to revive you, but - Tobi-sensei probably made you look like you bled out really quickly, so there was no point in trying."

"You focused on Barrier techniques and chakra chains, Naruto," Obito said, raising an eyebrow. "I knew about the latter, though your mother seems convinced that four is your limit. On the other hand, I was under the impression that you did not care for, and I quote, '_complicated girly techniques'_."

Naruto frowned, and looked away. "I guess barriers are... sort of okay. The old toad taught me, all right?" Naruto said quickly. "Though I didn't tell him I completed some yet. I figured I would when I perfected my version..."

"So it was Jiraiya-san," Obito observed. "I should have known, really. Though I'm surprised you didn't beg him for the secrets of the Rasengan or the Hiraishin instead." He observed Naruto's sheepish expression and smirked. "Ah. This was the only technique he would teach you, then?"

Naruto frowned, blushing. "Yes, well - never mind that, did we pass, sensei?"

Obito nodded. "All of you. Teamwork is vital to any successful team. Though I was unsure about things when you were quibbling among yourselves at the start, you came together to fight a common enemy without a second thought. For that reason, you are officially Genin of Team 7 now, and that means you're soldiers of the village." He cocked his head to the side. "I will give you all a day or two to cope with the events of today, and then it's time for missions. I'll see if I can get a proper one to kick things off, since you obviously have the skill in combat that you'll need for a C-rank. Today is a taste of things to come. If you can't handle it, quit now."

"Understood," Hinata said quickly. "I will inform father of what happened." Sasuke grunted in acknowledgment as well, looking disinterested.

Naruto stared in confusion. "What do you mean? _Cope? Quit?" _he asked. "What-?"

"You will figure it out," Obito said tiredly. "ANBU will be here within minutes to clean things up." He waved lazily. "I will go report to the Hokage. Remember, drinking is illegal at your age, so think of something else."

Naruto just stared in confusion. Obito vanished as the sky brightened again, as everything returned to normal.

Naruto sighed in relief, intent on taking a good long nap, when he froze. Lying in a pool of blood, adamantly refusing to go away even as Obito's Genjutsu evaporated, was a corpse.

The colour drained from his face as Naruto gingerly retreated a few steps, realization hitting him. He couldn't keep in his outraged yell. "WHAT THE HELL, TOBI!"

Dead eyes gazed up at him in terror.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Heh, it's been a while. Here's the techniques used:

_Chakra Kusari - _Chakra Chains  
_Hakke Sanjūni Shō - _Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms_  
________Shugohakke Sanjūni Shō - _Protection of the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms_______  
____Kekkai: Shihō Hyōrō - _Barrier: Four-Corner Prison___  
______Kekkai: Shiboru -_- Barrier : Squeeze_____  
________Kekkai: Hitsugi -_- Barrier : Coffin


End file.
